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THE  AGE-QUESTION: 


CHRISTIAlsr  UNION". 


7 

ALFRED  NEVIN,  D.D. 


"  That  they  all  may  be  one."— Jesus  Chritt, 
"  Ib  Chriut  divided  V'—St.  Paul. 
"  lie  has  not  the  love  of  God  who  docs  not  seek  the  unity  of  the  Church."— 
Augustine. 

"In  things  necessary, let  there  be  unity;  In  things  not  necessary, liberty ; 

In  all  tilings,  charity." — M'itgius, 
"  I  can  as  Willingly  be  a  martyr  for  Lovk,  as  for  any  article  of  the  Creed."— 
Baxter. 

"The  union  of  all  true  Christians!    That  is  the  Iteformntiou  of  the  Nine- 
teenth Century."— J.  //.  Merle  D'Aubii/ne,  J>.D. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
WILLIAM  FLINT,  26  SOUTH  SEVENTH  STREET. 
lbC8. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  tlie  year  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  sixty-eight,  by 

ALFRED  NEVIN,  D.D., 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court,  in  and  for  the  Eastern  District  of 
Pennsylvania. 


KIXO  ii  BAIllT),  PKINTEKS, 

607  i-iiiisom  street,  Phil^adelpliia. 


FKATERNALLY  DEDICATED 
TO 

GEOEGE  W.  MUSGRAVE,  D.D./LL.D. 


(8) 


"  P^IITGETOIT  N-^. 
THBOLO  / 

COXTEXTS. 


Preface  •   7 

The  Apostles'  Cuked   9 

The  Lord's  Prav:;k   9 

Introductiox   13 

The  Union  Contemplated   20 

Testimony  of  Eminent  Ministers  and  Laymen   45 

Reasons  for  Christian  Union   68 

Objections  to  Christian  Union  Consideri.d  135 

Means  for  Promoting  Christian  Union  157 

Cultivation  of  the  Spirit  of  Unity  Ukgld  L89 


(5) 
»  t 


» 


9 


PEEFACE. 


Tms  little  volume  has  but  a  feeble  claim  to  originality. 
It  mainly  presents  relevant  passages  of  Scriptiu-e  ;  and  the 
opinions  of  men  (very  much  in  their  own  words)  whose 
piety,  learning,  i)roniineuce  and  usefulness,  challenge  for 
any  thing  from  them  on  such  a  theme  as  Christian  Union, 
the  profoundest  respect  and  strongest  confidence.  The 
arguments  and  ajipeals  are  given  in  as  condensed  and  in- 
telligible a  form  as  possible,  that  the  "Plea,"  intended 
chiefly  for  the  popular  mind,  may,  if  God  will,  secure 
general  perusal  and  receive  solemn  attention,  by  reason 
of  its  plainness,  directness  and  brevity.  Whatever  may 
be  the  result,  the  Author  will  have  the  comfort  of  know- 
ing that  all  such  efforts,  as  this  unpretending  one,  are  in 
a  line  with  the  nonnal  state  of  the  Church  and  the 
Saviour's  prayer  for  lis  people's  unity.  May  the  spirit 
of  that  prayer  pei-vade  the  reader's  heart  as  he  advances 
from  page  to  page,  gathering,  as  we  humbly  trust  he  may, 
some  hints  whicli  he  can  himself  more  fully  expand  and 
apply  And  thus  may  it  not  only  bo  believed,  but  more 
widely  and  profoundly  felt,  as  a  living,  majestic,  and 
momentous  truth,  that  "charity  is  the  bond  of  perfect- 
ed) 


8 


PREFACE. 


ness."  All  that  the  Author  asks  is,  that  what  he  has 
said,  may  not  be  interpreted  by  what  he  has  not  said, 
and  thus  be  represented  or  regarded  as  expressive  of  even 
the  sUghtest  indifference  to  the  precious  "truth  as  it  is 
in  Jesus."  He  yields  to  no  one  in  the  conviction,  that 
an  union,  except  on  the  basis  of  essential  truth,  would 
be  not  only  dangerous,  but  disastrous,  and  bitterly  to  be 
deplored.  He  is  persuaded,  however,  at  the  same  time, 
that  it  is  one  thing  to  require  assent  that  every  thing  in 
God's  Word  is  true,  and  quite  another  thing  to  msist  \\\)on 
the  belief  that  all  things  therein  are  so  importantly  true, 
that  difference  of  opinion  in  relation  to  some  of  them,  is  to 
be  regarded  as  justifying  schism  in  the  mystical  body  of 
Christ. 


heaven  and  eaj|th : 

Jiind  in  Jesus  ^ln;ist  his  onhj  $on  out]  Xsor{i', 
Mho  was  conceived  by  the  I^ohj  QJhost,  Borjn  of  the 
Virgin  fRat|t};  iJufferiCd  undeii  Jfontius  Jfilate,  Mas 
ctiucified,  dead,  and  l>uj|ied ;  ^e  descended  into  hell ; 
t$\ie  thir^d  day  he  rjOse  {r,oni  the  dead;  JiJe  ascended 
into  heaven,  and  sitteth  on  the  ^ight  hand  of  (pod 
the  Jfathen  ^^Imighty ;  3;Vom  thence  he  shall  corae  to 
judge  the  quich  and  the  dead, 

I  believe  in  the  J^oly  Qhost;  (^he  "l^oly  Catholic 
Church,  t$he  (i^ommunion  of  §aint5;  (^he  Ufoiifjiveness 
of  sins,;  t^he  Besurrection  of  the  body;  }\nd  the 
Life  everlasting.  jSimen. 


l^ur,  J^athcr,  a-ho  art  in  heaven,  !titallou'cd  be  thy 
■^amc.  tT'by  Uinfldom  come,  (Jhy  will  be  done  on 
earjth,  as  it  is  in  heaven,  Qiive  us  this  day^mi  daily 
br,ead.  ^n{l  forgive  us  oui]  trjCspasscs,  as  we  for,give 
those  who  tr.cspass  against  us.  J'knd  lead  us  not 
into  temptation ;  But  delivei]  us  fijom  evil :  Jj'oi|  thine 
is  the  hingdom,  and  the  powet|,  and  the  gloiiy,  foi; 
even  and  cvcii.  .^mcn. 


(9) 


EVANGELICAL  UNITY. 


EVAN'GELICAL  UXITY. 
I. 

'God,  of  one  blood,  o'er  all  the  eai-th, 

All  nations  of  mankind  hath  made , 
Nor  age,  nor  clime,  nor  hue  of  birth, 

Can  this  blood  brotherhood  evade  : 
But  tainted  in  their  Father  Ilcad, 

The  sons  of  Adam  fail  and  die  ;  0 
The  common  tomb  where  all  are  laid 

Records  a  ghastly  unity  I 

II. 

'  The  theme  is  dark,  and  sad  the  song ; 

Is  there  not  kinsmanship  beside? 
Yes !  sound  the  exulting  chords  along, 

And  sing — O  Death,  thy  soul  hath  died 
0  Grave,  thy  vanfiiiishcd  portals  hide, 

Their  broken  strength  returncth  never ; 
For  Christ  the  Brotlier  spoils  thy  pride, 

His  brotherhood  abides  for  cvei'. 

III. 

'  Brethren  of  Jesus,  sons  of  love  1 

H9W  lovelike,  Godlike,  these  should  be 
In  earth  beneath,  and  heaven  above, 
Ouo  undivided  family ; 


EVANGELICAL  UNITY. 


Bending  at  one  blest  throne  the  knee, 
Hymning  one  Saviour's  sacred  blood; 

By  one  sweet  Spirit's  energy 

Knit  each  to  each,  and  all  to  God. 

IV. 

'  Ineffable  accord !  O  thou 

From  whom  the  Bridegroom  is  not  fai", — 
Wlio  wearest  on  thy  mystic  brow 

The  coronetting  Morning  Star 
In  wh^m  deep  springs  of  music  are, —  ' 

Lovc-ransomcd  thou,  forbear  to  move 
One  chord  of  heart,  whose  pulse  may  mar 

The  harmony  of  holy  love. 

V. 

'  Yes,  rather,  on  the  Patmos  wing 

Of  Evangelic  eagle  flee, 
Where  thousand  times  ten  thousand  sing. 

O'er  that  Apocalyjitic  sea 
Of  ruby  glass,  love's  melody, 

All  golden-harped — and  waft  the  story 
Down,  till  this  groaning  earth  shall  bo 

Baptized  into  celestial  glory." 


NTRODUCTION. 


The  voice  of  one,  eighteen  centuries  ago,  cried 
to  Israel,  waiting  in  the  wilderness,  "  Prepare  ye 
the  way  of  the  Lord."  The  voice  of  Providence 
cries  in  our  day.  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  "  Receive  ye  one  another,  as  Christ  also 
received  you."  "I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the 
name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  all  speak 
the  same  thing,  and  that  there  be  no  divisions 
among  you,  but  that  yc  be  perfectly  joined  to- 
gether in  the  same  mind."  "And  grieve  not  the 
Holy  S[)irit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the 
day  of  redemption.  Let  all  bitterness,  and  wrath, 
and  anger,  and  clamor,  and  evil  speaking  be  put 
away  from  you,  with  all  malice." 

The  union  of  Evangelical  Christians — in  other 

words,  of  all  who  hold  and  advocate  the  doctrines 

of  salvation  by  grace,  through  faith  in  tiie  merits 

of  the  rigiiteousness  and  blood  of  a  Divine  Saviour 

— a  faith  which  '  worketh  by  love'  under  the  renew- 
2  .  (13) 


14  THE  AOE-QUESTION;  OB, 


ing  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit — is,  be3''ond  ques- 
tion, tlie  great  problem  presented  to  the  Christian 
world  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

The  divisions  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  which, 
ever  since  Paul  had  occasion  to  complain  of  the 
factions  springing  up  in  the  Church  of  Corinth, 
have  been  felt  to  be  an  element  of  weakness  in 
the  Christian  cause ;  a  scandal ;  or  stumbling-block 
in  the  way  of  the  Lord's  progress  ;  are  now  having 
the  attention  of  men  anxiously  turned  to  them, 
and  an  intense  desire  cherished  for  their  removal. 
Many  hearts  are  relenting  from  the  rigor  of  party 
organization  and  sectarian  asperity.  The  love  of 
Christ,  that  sacred  flame  which  warms  them  and 
bids  them  strive  together  for  the  conversion  of  a 
world,  also  melts  down  the  walls  of  partition, 
which  might  well  enough  keep  Jews  asunder  from 
Gentiles,  but  was  never  permitted  to  sever  one 
Jew  from  another,  and  much  less  ought  now  to 
sepai*ate  a  Christian  fi'om  his  brother.  Many  are 
pondering  these  things  in  their  hearts,  and  ask- 
ing, Ought  brethren  to  be  thus  estranged  ?  Ought 
Ephraim  thus  to  envy  Judah,  and  Judah  to  vex  , 
Ephraim  ? 

It  is  true,  there  are  some  who  look  upon  Chris- 
tian Union  as  an  Utopian  scheme.    There  are 


A  PLEA  FOR  CURISTIAN  UNION.  15 


miiltitudes,  however,  by  whom  it  is  not  so  re- 
garded, and  their  number  is  steadily  and'  rapidly 
increasing.  Many  of  the  ablest  heads  and  noblest 
hearts  in  Christendom  feel  called  to  review  the 
ground  which  the  Protestant  churches  now  oc- 
cupy, because  they  know  that  much  of  this  ground 
was  assumed,  pai'tly  by  inconsideration,  partly 
by  the  pressure  of  controversy,  and  partlj'^  by  the 
coercion  of  circumstances.  Never,  indeed,  has 
such  a  yearning  for  unity  been  experienced,  at 
least  in  the  same  degree.  A  growing  impatience 
prevails  of  those  divisions  and  separations,  in 
which  many  were  accustomed  to  acquiesce,  as 
inevitable  incidents  in  the  free  march  of  mind,  if 
not  even  valuable  and  desirable,  as  proofs  of  that 
very  freedom.  Everywhere  there  is  a  disposition 
to  ask  if  this  checkered  aspect,  this  parti-colored 
bla.'sonry,  this  crossing  and  re-cro.>i>sing  of  conflict- 
ing lines  and  clashing  ranks,  be  indeed  the  spec- 
tacle which  the  Captain  of  Salvation  designed  his 
field  of  battle  to  exhibit. 

It  will  not  do,  therefore,  to  pass  this  question 
by  with  cold  praise,  as  a  very  good  thing  in  itself; 
but  impracticable,  and  the  men,  be  they  ministers 
tor  laymen,  who  can  regard  it  with  indifference, 
or  dismiss  it  with  a  sneer,  certainly  do  not  occu[)y 


16  THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


fin  enviable  position.  How  can  nny  one,  whose 
mind  is  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and 
whose  heart  is  renewed  by  His  grace,  be  without 
desire  to  see  the  people  of  God  united?  How 
can  any  one,  who  surveys  the  distractions  of  the 
Christian  Church,  who  sees  the  parties  into  which, 
it  is  split,  the  virulence  by  which  they  are  actu- 
ated, the  angry  controversies  they  maintain,  the 
discredit  they  bring  upon  Christianity,  the  force 
they  give  to  infidel  objections,  the  gratification 
they  afford  to  demons,  the  obstructions  they 
throw  in  the  way  of  the  world's  conversion,  not 
desire  the  union  of  the  Church?  Had  we  seen 
even  the  seamless  garment,  which  once  covered 
the  sacred  person  of  the  Saviour,  rent  and  torn 
by  violence,  we  could  not  have  looked  upon  tiie 
njutilated  robe  v.-ithout  emotion;  how,  tlicn,  can 
we  see  His  spiritual  body  torn  by  faction,  and 
disfigured  by  bigotry,  and  yet  be  indillercnt  to 
the  mclauchol,y  spectacle? 

Is  it  reasonably  probable  that  the  time  for 
Christian  Union  is  not  distant?  \7e  believe  it 
is.  The  very  longing  for  it,  already  referi'ed  to, 
is  to  be  hailed  as  a  token  for  good.  It  is  tile  in- 
stinct of  brotherly  love,  implanted  and  revived  in 
Christian  breasts  by  the  Lord  himself — the  Spirit; 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  17 


and  the  very  awakening  of  it,  at  any  time,  to  un- 
■wonted  energy  and  intensity,  is  an  indication  that 
its  gratification  may  be  expected  to  be  within 
reach.  For  God  does  not  whet  any  si:)iritual  ap- 
petite merely  that  it  may  suffer  the  disappoint- 
ment of  a  tantalizing  dela}' :  His  having  whetted 
it  is,  of  itself,  an  evidence  that  He  has  its  appro- 
priate aliment  at  hand.  Thus,  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  a  general  sense  of  the  necessity  of  a  re- 
formation, accompanied  by  the  desire  of  it,  and  a 
conviction  that,  in  some  way  or  other,  it  would 
come,  preceded  and  paved  the  way  for,  Luther's 
republication  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  the  Gospel 
of  His  grace,  and,  if  the  necessity  of  the  case 
now,  in  the  nineteenth  century,  -demands  an  Apos- 
tolic mission  on  behalf  of  John's  chosen  theme — 
Love,  and  the  divine  fellowship  of  love — similar  to 
that  which  Luther,  following  in  the  steps  of  Paul, 
accomplished  on  behalf  of  faith,  and  the  free  justi- 
fication which  faith  appropriates — the  feeling  of 
that  necessity,  in  so  far  as  it  is  of  God,  is  the  sure 
presage  of  its  being  speedily  and  adequately  met. 
No  surer  sign  need  be  asked  of  a  revolution  or 
reformation  being  nigh,  even  at  the  gate,  than  the 
feeling  of  a  void,  and  the  prevalence^of  a  desire  in 

regard  to  it.    And,  considering  all  the  circura- 
2* 


18 


THE  AOE-QUESTION;  OB, 


stances,  we  nve  inclined  to  regard  the  present 
feeling  of  the  Church  on  the  subject  of  Union,  an 
auspicious  sign  of  the  times,  a  promising  indica- 
tion, a  hapi^y  prognostication ;  being  like  a  streak 
of  red,  however  faint,  breaking  the  evening  and 
western  clouds,  and  giving  some  promise  of  "  fair 
weather  "  on  the  morrow. 

But,  whether  Christian  Union  is,  or  is  not,  soon 
to  be  accomplished,  it  is  certain  that  it  will  in 
God's  set  time  be  realized.  Nothing  can  hinder 
it.  Sectarianism  and  party  spirit,  no  less  than 
formalism  and  superstition,  must  give  way  before 
it.    The  day  will  dawn  when  the  Church  shall  be 

'*Not  by  a  party's  narrow  banks  confined — 
Not  by  a  sameness  of  opinion  joined  ; 
But  cemented  by  the  Redeemer's  blood, 
And  bound  togetlier  in  tbe  lieart  of  God." 

The  many  difficulties — prejudices,  and  sectional 
interests  in  the  way  of  this  grand  result,  which 
meet  our  eye  as  we  look  abroad  upon  the  Christian 
world  as  actually  constituted,  might  tempt  us  to 
consider  it  a  vain  and  fruitless  attempt  to  endeavor 
to  harmonize  such  discordant  materials.  And,  in- 
deed, it  would  be  a  hopeless  task,  had  we  not  the 
promise  of  God,  and  the  assurance  of  the  Saviour 
that  His  people  shall  yet  be  One.    With  such  a 

• 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  19 


gnarantj^,  however,  we  have  no  reason  for  fear  or 
doubt  as  to  tlie  issue.  What  are  difficulties  to  the 
omnipotent  God  ?  "  Who  art  thou,  O  great 
mountain  ?"  sa\"s  Jehovah,  "  before  Zerubbabel 
tliou  shalt  become  a  plain :  and  he  shall  bring 
forth  the  headstone  thereof  with  shouting,  crying, 
Grace,  grace  unto  it.  For  who  hath  despised  the 
day  of  small  things  ?" 

But,  whilst  we  firmly  believe  that  God  will  bring 
about  His  own  purpose  to  malce  Ilis  people  One, 
this  ought  not  to  make  us  indifferent  to  our  duty 
in  this  direction.  It  ought  rather  to  kindle  our 
zeal,  and  excite  our  desire ;  to  be  found  cooperating 
with  Him  in  the  path  of  cheerful  obedience.  What 
has  God  wrought  for  His  Church,  in  which  He  did 
not  employ  human  instrumentality,  while  taking 
care  so  to  order  things  that  the  glory  should  be 
His?  The  conviction,  therefore,  that  Christian 
Union  is  God's  cause,  and  that  He  will  carry  it 
on  and  carry  it  out,  is  the  very  thing  to  call  forth 
our  zeal  and  nerve  our  exertions.  And,  instead 
of  sitting  down  in  indolent  activity,  as,  alas  !  so 
many  do,  hoping  that  the  good  work  may  be 
accomplished,  it  is  the  part  of  a  sincere  Christian, 
after  casting  off  any  unjust  prejudices  of  education 
and  long-established  habits,  to  lead  others  to  do 


20 


THE  AOE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


so,  as  far  as  he  may  be  able ;  and  to  urge  them  to 
offer  their  praj-ers,  blend  their  efforts,  and  conse- 
crate their  influence,  with  his  own,  to  the  attain- 
ment of  the  consummation  so  devoutl}^  to  be 
wished. 


JJnION  jOoNTEMPLATED. 

It  may  be  asked,  Whether,  in  order  to  actualize 
the  idea  of  Christian  Union,  it  would  be  requisite 
for  the  various  sections  into  which  the  Church  is 
divided,  to  resolve  themselves  into  their  integral 
elements,  and  to  attempt  the  formation  of  one 
vast  community,  comprehending  the  good  of  every 
name  and  every  sect  ? 

To  this  question  it  may  be  answered,  that  such 
an  issue,  for  the  present,  at  least,  is  not  contem- 
plated. However  desirable  it  may  be  to  obtain 
unity  of  religious  sentiment,  even  in  those  minor 
matters  on  which  Christians  are  not  now  agreed, 
and  however  certain  it  may  be  thu,t  yd  "  there 
shall  be  one  fold,  and  one  Shepherd,"  it  can  i 
scarcely  be  expected  now,  that  there  will  be  unity  j 
and  concord  based  on  absolute  uniformit}'  of 
opinion  and  practice.    In  the  Apostolic  age  there 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  31 


existed  differences  of  opinion  and  practice  between 
•Jewish  and  Gentile  converts,  far  greater  than 
those  which  divide  some  of  the  religious  denomi- 
nations of  our  land,  j'et  they  did  not  divide  the 
Church  under  the  guidance  of  the  Apostles.  On 
the  contrary,  the  Apostles  enjoined  mutual  for- 
bearance. The  Church,  in  its  early  history,  was 
one,  as  the  human  race  is  one.  There  was  unity, 
and  j^et  considerable  variety,  in  the  outward  forms 
and  observances  connected  with  the  institutions 
and  worship  of  each  congregation.  This  diversity, 
in  lesser  matters,  arose,  from  the  different  habits, 
manners,  and  ceremonies  which  characterized  the 
different  nations  that  embraced  the  doctrines  of 
the  Cross.  A  Christian  of  Asia,  though  Asiatic 
in  his  manners  and  observances,  was  at  once  re- 
ceived into  communion  with  the  Churches  in 
Europe,  without  being  required  to  renounce  his 
peculiarities.  Irenaeus  says  that,  while  each  re- 
tained his  own  customs,  "they  held  communion 
with  each  other."  The  Bishop  of  Caisarea,  in  a 
letter  to  C^'prian,  in  the  year  256,  says  that  the 
Church  of  Rome  "  has  many  particulars  of  divine 
worship  which  are  not  precisely  the  same  observ- 
ances whicli  i)revail  in  Jerusalem."  "  So,  like- 
wise," he  adds,  "  in  a  very  great  number  of  otlier 


23 


THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OR, 


provinces,  many  things  vary  according  to  the 
diversity  of  place  and  people,  bnt,  nevertheless, 
these  variations  have  at  no  time  infringed  the 
peace  and  unity  of  the  catholic  (or  universal)  ■ ; 
Church."  The  Reformers  held  that  uniformity 
was  not  necessary  to  unity — that  the  Church  ad- 
mitted of  variety  in  lesser  matters,  and  that  all 
were  to  be  received  as  brethren  whom  God  vouch- 
safed to  take  for  sons.  Said  the  Churches  of 
France  and  Belgia,  when  addressing  the  other 
reformed  Churches  on  the  subjects  of  union  and 
harmony — "  There  hath  scarce  been  any  age 
which  hath,  in  such  sort,  seen  all  Churches  follow- 
ing altogether  one  thing  in  all  points,  so  as  there 
hath  not  always  been  some  difference,  either  in 
doctrine  or  in  ceremonies,  or  in  manners  ;  and  yet 
Christian  Churches  through  the  world  wore  not, 
therefore,  cut  asunder,  unless  peradventure  then, 
when  the  Bishop  of  Rome  broke  off  all  agreement, 
and  tyrannically  enjoined  to  other  Churches,  not 
what  ought  to  be  done,  but  what  himself  would 
have  observed.  But  the  Apostles  did  not  so. 
Barnabas,  indeed,  departed  from  Paul,  and  Paul 
withstood  Peter,  and  surely  for  no  trifle,  and  yet 
the  one  became  not  thereby  more  enemy  or 
stranger  to  the  other  but  the  self-same  spirit 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


23 


which  had  coupled  them  from  the  beginning,  never 
suflered  them  to  be  disjoined  from  themselves.  It 
is  the  fashion  of  Romayists  to  command,  to  en- 
force, to  press,  to  throw  out  cursings,  and  thunder 
excommunications  upon  the  heads  of  those  that 
■whisper  never  so  little  against  them ;  but  let  us, 
according  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  suffer 
and  gently  admonish  each  other  ;  that  is,  keeping 
the  ground-work  of  faith,  let  us  build  love  upon 
it,  and  let  us  jointly  repair  the  walls  of  Zion,  lying 
in  their  very  ruins.  "* 

But,  whilst  absolute  uniformity  may  not  be  ex- 
pected among  Christians,  it  is  certain  that  union 
is  much  to  be  desired.  What  we  want  is  a  formal^ 
visible  union  of  parties — an  approximation  to  each 
other,  of  which  not  only  our  own  hearts  shall  be 
conscious,  by  a  perceptible  decay  of  our  prejudices 
and  a  growth  of  love,  but  which  shall  be  apparent 
to  others,  by  some  means  of  which  they  are  able 
to  take  cognizance.  It  is  not  enough  merely  that, 
as  ministers  and  Christians,  we  should  cultivate 
more  assiduously  the  obligations  of  brotherly  love, 
but  that,  by  some  kind  of  agreement,  organization, 
or  means  of  public  intercourse,  we  should  give 


*  Preface  to  the  Ilarmouy  of  Confusaious,  1851. 


34 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


visibility  to  this  state  of  our  hearts  towards  each 
other.  Without  this,  we  fail  to  let  our  light  so 
shine  before  men  as  we  should  do.  The  diffused 
rays  of  love  that  are  scattered  abroad  in  the  civili- 
ties and  courtesies  of  life,  are  too  faint  to  be  seen, 
or,  at  any  rate,  to  be  seen  in  that  intensity  and 
force  which  they  would  gain  when  collected  into 
the  focal-point  of  a  public  organization.  If  we  do 
not  meet  in  public  in  some  way,  either  because  we 
will  not,  or  cannot,  the  world  will  be  slow  to  credit 
our  professions  of  secret,  though  it  may  be  sincere, 
love.  "By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  yc  are 
my  disciples,  if  ye  love  one  another."  This  lan- 
guage of  our  Divine  Lord  seems  to  require  a 
visible  union,  and,  in  the  present  state  of  Christen- 
dom, we  cannot  have  visibility  without  organiza- 
tion or  public  intercourse  of  some  kind. 

An  essential  feature  of  .such  an  arrangement  as 
the  right  idea  of  Christian  Union  demands,  is, 
That  every  chwch  shall  admit  to  its  communion 
all  who  give  credible  evidence  that  they  are  disciples' 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And  why  should  not 
this  be  done?  "Saints  by  profession,"  says  the 
Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  "  are  bound  to 
maintain  an  holy  fellowship  and  communion  in  the 
worship  of  God,  and  in  performing  such  other 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  25 

spiritual  services  as  tend  to  their  mutual  edifica- 
tion; as  also,  in  relieving  each  other  iu  outward 
things,  according  to  their  several  abilities  and 
necessities.  Which  communion,  as  God  offereth 
opportunity,  is  to  be  extended  unto  all  those  who 
in  every  place  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus."  The  same  Confession  expressly  declai'es 
that  "  All  Synods  or  Councils  since  the  Apostles' 
times,  whether  general  or  particular,  may  err,  and 
many  have  erred ;  therefore,  they  are  not  to  be 
made  the  rule  of  faith  and  iDractice,  but  to  be  used 
as  an  help  in  both," — thus  showing  that  its  com- 
pilers never  dreamt  of  breaking  up  fellowship  with 
other  foreign  churches  of  the  Reformation  that 
had  Confessions  of  their  own,  differing  in  some 
points  from  theirs.  Calvin,  when  addressing  the 
Lutheran  churches,  said,  "Keep  your  smaller 
differences,  let  us  have  no  discord  on  that  account ; 
but  let  us  march  in  one  solid  column,  under  the 
banners  Of  the  Captain  of  our  Salvation,  and,  with 
undivided  counsels,  form  the  legions  of  the  Cross 
upon  the  territories  of  darkness  and  of  death." 
"  I  should  not  hesitate  to  cross  ten  seas,  if,  by  this 
means,  holy  communion  might  prevail  among  the 
members  of  Christ."    "I  would  ask,"  says  the 

great  John  Howe,  in  speaking  of  the  Sacrament 
3 


2a  THE  AGE-qVESTION ;  OR, 

of  the  Suj^per,  "  whose  is  this  table  ?  Is  it  the 
table  of  this  or  that  luau,  or  part3''  of  meu?  or  is 
it  the  Lord's  table  ?  Theu  certainly  it  ought  to 
be  free  to  his  guests,  and  appropriate  to  them, 
and  who  should  dare  to  invite  others,  or  forbid 
these?"  Robert  Hall  and  Dr.  Wardlaw  main- 
tained that,  wherever  there  is  union  to  Christ, 
there  ought  to  be  communion,  and  that  no  man, 
or  set  of  men,  is  entitled  to  prescribe,  as  an  indis- 
pensable condition  of  communion,  what  the  Kew 
Testament  has  not  enjoined  as  a  condition  of  sal- 
vation. 

What  satisfactory  reason  can  be  assigned  why 
Christians  should  not  show  their  love  for  one 
another  in  partaking  together  of  the  Lord's  supper  ? 
In  what  capacity  is  it  that  we  take  our  i)laces 
there?  Is  it  as  fellow-Presb^^terians,  or  fcUow- 
Congrcgationalists,  or  fellow-Episcopalians,  or  fel- 
low-liaptists?  Is  it  not  rather  as  felloiv-believers, 
fellow-disdiiles,  fellow- Christians?  If  a  Presby- 
terian and  a  Congregationalist,  or  a  Ba^jtist 
and  a  Pasdo-baptist  object  to  silting  down  with 
each  otlicr  at  the  table  of  the  Lord,  one  of  two 
inferences  must  follow:  Eitlicr  they  must,  on  ac- 
count of  their  difi'erence  of  sentiment  as  to  the 
government  or  rites  of  the  Church,  question  each 


A  PLEA  FOR  GERISTIAN  UNION. 


27 


other's  Christianity, — or  it  must  be,  not  as  be- 
lievers, disciples.  Christians,  but  as  Presbyterians 
or  Cougregationalists,  Baptists,  or  Pagdo-baptlsts, 
that  they,  respectivelj',  consider  themselves  en- 
titled to  a  seat  at  the  feast !  But  who,  bearing  the 
name  of  Jesus,  will  defend  so  anti-scriptural  and  nar- 
row-minded a  position  ?  It  should  be  remembered 
that  no  particular  denomination  of  Christians  is 
able  to  say  of  the  Sacrament  of  the  Supper,  "This 
is  our  table."  It  is  the  Lord's  table.  How,  then, 
can  any  one  branch  of  the  Church  consider  itself 
entitled  to  shut  the  door  of  admission  to  that  table 
against  any  whom,  there  is  every  reason  to  believe, 
the  Divine  Master  would  Himself  receive?  Is 
there  no  presumption  in  this  ?  It  is  not,  we  repeat, 
a  Presbyterian  table,  or  a  Lxitheran  table,  or  an 
Ejyiscopal  table — it  is  a  Christian  table.  How,  then, 
can  it  be  for  a  moment  doubted,  that  all  who  are 
"  of  one  heart  and  one  soul"  in  regard  to  the  essen- 
tial  articles  of  evangelical  truth,  and  who  give  evi- 
dence of  their  attachment  to  those  blessed  truths 
by  "a  conversation  as  it  becomcth  the  Gospel  of 
Ciirist," — should  welcome  one  another  to  a  joint 
participation  of  the  symbols  of  the  same  broken 
body  and  tlie  same  shed  blood,  which  arc  tlie  ob- 
jects of  their  common  faith,  the  ground  of  their 


28 


THE  AGE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


common  hope,  the  charter  of  their  common  free- 
dom, and  the  spring  of  their  common  holiness  and 
their  common  joy  ? 

Look  at  the  catholic  spirit  Tchich  was  breathed 
by  the  large-hearted  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  when, 
in  writing  to  "the  saints  who  were  at  Ephesus 
and  the  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus" — expanding  his 
affections,  and  teaching  them  to  expand  thtiii's, 
bej'ond  the  little  circle  of  their  own  immediate 
fellowshijD,  to  th*  whole  "  honscliold  of  faith"— he 
prayed,  "  Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity  !"  How  would 
Paul  have  delighted  in  personal  fellowship  with 
each,  and  in  collective  fellowship  with  all,  whom 
he  thus  designates  !  iS'othing,  surely,  would  have 
charmed  him  more  (had  such  a  thing  been  possi- 
ble) than  a  convention  of  Jewish  and  Gentile  be- 
lievers, from  all  the  countries  into  which  the  Gos- 
pel had  penetrated — constituting  at  the  time  "  the 
general  assembly  and  cluirch  of  the  first-born 
which  are  written  in  iieaven" — around  the  table  of 
their  common  Lord,  partaking  together 'at  the 
feast  of  Christian  love,  the  symbols  of  His  body 
and  blood — His  body  broken,  His  blood  shed  for 
them  all,  thus  pledging  tlieir  union  on  earth,  and 
anticipating  its  pei  fection  in  heaven. 


A  PLEA  FOB  GUBISTIAN  UNION.  39 


Let  it  Idc  remembered,  also,  that  "  all  that  love 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,"  are  objects  of 
tlic  love  of  that  Lord  himself.  They  have  a  place  in 
His  heart,  as  the  children  of  "  his  Father  and  their 
Father" — the  people  of  "his  God  and  their  God." 
lie  "calls  them  brethren."  He  intercedes  for 
them,  "  that  they  may  .be  with  him  where  he  is, 
to  behold  his  glory."  He  "  rests  in  his  love" 
toward  them.  And  He  will  welcome  them,  as  the 
"blessed  of  his  Father,"  to  th©  inheritance  of 
"  the  kingdom  prepared  for  them  before  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world."  How,  then,  should  the 
people  of  Christ,  whose  duty  it  is  to  be  like  Him, 
shrink,  with  a  trembling  sensitiveness,  from  the 
idea  of  any  one  being  owned  by  Him,  that  is  not 
owned  by  them ;  of  any  one  having  the  place  of  a 
disciple  in  His  heart,  that  has  not  the  place  of  a 
fellow-disciple  in  theirs  ;  of  any  one  having  a  part 
in  His  intercession  for  God's  people,  whom  they, 
in  their  intercessions,  class  with  the  world ;  of  any 
being  welcomed  by  Him  at  last  into  the  heavenly 
kingdom,  wliom  they,  in  censorious  uncharitable- 
ness,  are  excluding  from  it  I 

We  cannot  but  think  that  the  communion  of 

Christians,  one  with  anotlicr,  is  a  dut^-  plainly'  ne- 

duciblc  from  the  unity  of  the  Church.    That  all 
3* 


30  TEE  AGE-qUESTION ;  OR, 

true  Christians  are  members  of  the  catholic 
Church,  or  the  mystical  body  of  Christ,  will  not 
be  denied.  Nor  Tvill  *it  be  disputed  that  all  its 
members  are  entitled  to  its  communion,  and  to  all 
its  privileges  which  they  are  capable  of  enjo3'ing, 
and  more  especially  that  the  injunction,  "  Do  this 
in  remembrance  of  me,"  imposes  on  all  the  dis- 
ciples of  Christ  the  obligation,  and  imparts  to 
them  the  right,  to  come  to  the  Sacramental  Table. 
But  if  these  things  are  admitted,  and  if  it  be  ad- 
mitted farther,  that  unity  is  prescribed  as  an  essen- 
tial feature  of  the  Church,  it  will  follow,  that  the 
gate  of  admittance  into  any  particular  Christian  so- 
ciety ought  to  be  exactly  of  the  same  dimensions  as 
that  of  admittance  into  the  Church  at  large ;  that, 
since  all  genuine  saints  have  a  right  to  the  com- 
munion and  the  privileges  of  the  Church,  nothing 
ought  to  be  demanded  as  a  condition  of  their  ad- 
mission to  anj^  section  of  it,  but  satisfactory  evi- 
dence that  they  are  saints ;  that,  consequently, 
where  this  evidence  is  furnished,  they  ought  to  be 
received  to  tliat  communion  and  these  privileges, 
and  that  forbearance  ought  to  be  extended  to  their 
mistakes  and  deficiencies,  however  great  and  mani- 
fold. And,  witli  regard  in  particular  to  the  Sacra- 
ment of  the  Supper,  it  aviU  follow,  that  to  debar 


1 


A  PLEA  FOB  GHBISTIAN  UNION.  31 


others  from  our  fellowship,  for  any  reason  which 
does  not  cancel  completely  their  title  to  the  ordi- 
nance, and  render  it  unwart'antable  for  them  to 
celebrate  it  by  themselves,  is  to  withhold  a  privi- 
lege, the  right  to  which  is  conferred  on  them  by 
their  Saviour — to  violate  unnecessarily  the  unity 
of  His  body,  and  to  inflict  a  punishment  most 
cruel  and  unjust.  Certain  it  is  that  a  very  differ- 
ent course  from  this  was  i^ursued  in  the  Apostolic 
age.  Then,  as  soon  as  men  embraced  the  Gospel, 
and  were  regarded  as  genuine  saints,  they  were 
forthwith  admitted  to  the  communion  of  the 
Church.  Of  this  fact  we  have  a  signal  illustration 
in  the  case  of  the  first  converts  from  among  the 
Gentiles.  "When  "  the  gift  of  the  Iloly  Ghost  was 
poured  out "  on  Cornelius  and  his  friends,  "  Peter 
answered.  Can  any  man  forbid  water,  that  these 
should  not  be  baptized,  which  have  received  the 
Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we  ?  And  he  commanded 
them  to  be  ba})tizod  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."* 
On  his  return  to  Jerusalem,  "  they  of  the  circum- 
cision contended  with  him,"  and  in  strong  terms 
disapproved  of  his  conduct.  "  IJut  Peter  rehearsed 
the  matter  from  the  beginning,  and  expounded  it 


*  Acts  X.  47,  48. 


33 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


by  order  unto  them,"  and  Trhat  was  the  conse- 
quence ?  "  When  they  heard  these  things,  they 
hcUi  their  i)eace,  and  glorified  God,  sajang,  Then 
hath  God  also  to  the  Gentiles  granted  repentance 
unto  life."*  The  prejudices  entertained  by  Peter, 
and  b}^  his  brethren  of  the  circumcision,  against 
the  admission  of  the  Gentiles  to  intimate  inter- 
course in  private,  and  to  the  fellowship  of  the 
Church,  were  exceedinglj''  strong,  and,  consider- 
ing the  i3artition-walls  which  for  ages  had  sepa- 
rated the  Jews  from  other  nations,  it  would  have 
been  strange  indeed  had  it  been  otherwise.  It 
may  well  be  supposed,  too,  that  these  new  converts 
were  not  all  at  once  freed  from  their  former  errors, 
that  their  views  of  the  Gospel  were.oomparatively 
crude  and  confused.  But  no  sooner  did  Peter  and 
his  believing  brethren  of  the  circumcision  perceive 
that  God  had  "  granted  to  the  Gentiles  repentance 
unto  life,"  than  their  Jewish  prejudices  gave  way, 
and  they  hastened  to  imitate  the  Divine  example, 
by  recognizing  as  brethren  those  whom  God  had 
recognized  as  His  children.  In  view  of  this  ex- 
ample of  Peter  and  his  countrj'men,  how  can 
those  who  have  no  such  prejudices  to  struggle 


*  Acts,  si.  18. 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION  33 

with  as  they  had,  refuse  to  imitate  their  conduct, 
by  declining  to  admit  to  communion  in  the  Church 
persons  whom  yet  they  acknowledge  to  have  "  re- 
ceived the  Holy  Ghost,"  and  "re]^lntance  unto 
life,"  as  well  as  themselves  ? 

The  whole  tenor  of  the  New  Testament,  indeed, 
indicates  that,  in  the  Apostolic  age,  notwithstand- 
ing there  were  churches  which  were  distracted  by 
controversies  and  divisions,  those  Christians  who 
resided  in  the  same  town,  or  in  the  same  district, 
being  incorporated  into  one  holy  association,  re- 
garded each  other  as  brethren  in  the  Lord,  and 
observed  in  conjunction  every  Christian  ordinance. 
Considering  themselves  as  a  component  part  of 
"  the  holy  catholic  Church,"  they  welcomed  to 
their  communion  the  members  of  every  other 
church,  when  accredited  by  "  letters  of  commen- 
dation," and  were  admitted  in  their  turn  to  simi- 
lar privileges  by  every  Christian  society.  "  I 
wrote  unto  the  Church,  but  Diotrephes,  who  loveth 
to  have  the  preeminence  among  them,  receiveth 
us  not.  Wherefore,  if  I  come,  I  will  remember 
his  deeds  which  he  doeth,  prating  against  us  with 
malicious  words ;  and  not  content  therewith, 
neither  doth  he  himself  receive  the  brethren,  and 
forbiddcth  them  that  woukl,  and  ca£teth  them  ont 


34  THE  AOE-qUESTION ;  OB, 

of  the  Church."*  Here  is  an  instance  of  a  man 
who,  under  the  influence  of  an  arrogant  and  domi- 
neering temper,  refused  to  receive  the  acknowl- 
edged servants  of  the  Saviour,  and  who  expelled 
from  the  Church  those  that  did  receive  them.  But 
how  strong  and  emphatic  the  terms  in  which  ithe 
beloved  Apostle  reprobates  his  conduct  1  Are 
there  not  some  in  our  own  days,  who  would  feel 
indignant  to  be  ranked  with  Diotrephes,  but  who 
imitate  his  conduct  in  its  spirit  and  almost  in  the 
letter,  "bj  refusing  to  receive  those  who  are  minis- 
ters of  Christ,  and  by  excluding  from  the  Church 
persons  who  give  satisfactory  evidence  of  saint- 
ship  and  who  must,  of  course,  hold  every  essential 
truth,  but  who  difler  from  them  on  points  of  sub- 
ordinate importance  or  of  dubious  evidence  ? 

What  the  diflferent  branches  of  the  Church  now 
greatly  need  is,  the  spirit  which  would  lead  to 
" forbearing  one  another  in  love."  We  mean  for- 
bearance not  only  in  reference  to  things  on  all 
sides  allowed  to  be  indifferent,  (for  this  scarcely 
deserves  the  name  of  forbearance,)  but  in  refer- 
ence to  opinions  deemed  to  be  unscriptural,  and 
to  practices  considered  to  be  wrong — provided 


*  S  Jolin  '.),  10. 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  35 


these  opinions  and  practices  are  not  incompatible 
■with  a  state  of  gtace  and  salvation.  Not  but  that 
we  are  to  use  assiduously  all  legitimate  means  to 
reclaim  our  Christian  brethren  from  their  errors, 
and  to  induce  them  to  relinquish  practices  which 
seem  to  us  to  be  sinful,  but  that  we  ought  not  to 
exclude  them  from  the  Church,  or  to  debar  them 
from  our  private  intercourse  or  our  fraternal  love. 
If  they  "  hold  the  Head,"  they  cannot  be  charge- 
able with  vital  or  essential  erroi-,  and,  though  the 
points  in  which  they  agree  with  us  may  be  few  in 
number,  they  must  be  greater  far  in  magnitude 
and  importance  than  the  particulars,  however  nu- 
merous, in  which  they  differ  from  us.  If,  then,  we 
separate  from  them,  or  compel  them  to  separate 
from  us,  by  making  our  differences  terms  of  com- 
munion, we  are  guilty  of  schism — of  a  causeless 
and  unwarrantable  rupture  in  the  Saviour's  m3's- 
tical  body.  "  When  the  lovers  of  Christ,"  says 
an  eminent  divine,  "  cannot  sit  down  at  the  same 
holy  table,  the  blame  of  schism  must  rest  with 
those  whose  sentiments  or  behavior  is  the  cause 
why  they  cannot  do  it." 

We  are  well  aware  that  it  is  alleged  as  an  ob- 
jection to  the  principle  of  union  now  advocated, 
that  it  requires  the  sanction  of  error  and  sin.  This 


86  THE  AOE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


objection,  however,  is  far  more  specious  tlian 
sound.  "  ComaQunion  with  a  church  or  her  mem- 
bers," saj-s  Dr.  Mason,  "does  not  imi)ly  our  ap- 
probation of  all  things  belonging  to  her  actual 
condition  as  an  organized  hoAy,  but  only  approval 
so  far  as  this  act  expresses — a  unity  of  faith  or 
practice,  and  no  farther."  So  far  is  the  forbear- 
ance which  Christians  exercise  in  communing  with 
their  fellow-believers  whom  they  regard  as  holding 
certain  notions,  and  following  certain  practices, 
which  are  unscriptural  and  pernicious,  from  imply- 
ing approbation  of  these  notions  and  practices, 
that  it  implies  the  reverse.  It  implies  that  the 
opinions  or  practices  in  reference  to  which  it  is 
exercised,  are  regai'ded  as  less  or  more  criminal, 
but  that  they  do  not  involve  such  an  amount  of 
criminality  as  to  render  the  individuals  holding  or 
following  them  deserving  of  exclusion  from  a 
Christian  society.  And  in  such  a  woiid  as  this, 
where  perfection  is  not  the  attainment  of  human- 
ity, how  is  it  possible  to  resist  the  demand  which 
is  made  upon  us  for  forbearance  ?  Choose  what- 
ever chu-rch  we  may,  we  will  not  find  in  it  a  single 
member  who  is  not  chargeable  with  some  mis- 
conceptions and  errors,  and  with  sinful  infirmities 
of  temper  and  conduct.    Even  we  ourselves  are 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  37 


not  exceptions  to  this  remark.  Forbearance,  then, 
we  must  exercise,  as  well  as  expect,  if  we  are  to 
be  connected  with  a  Christian  Church  at  all, 
and  we  may  be  sure  it  is  not  extended  beyond 
proper  limits,  if  it  reaches  just  as  far  as  Jesus 
Christ  extends  His.  We  are  always  safe  in  adher- 
ing to  the  Apostolic  order  of  the  graces,  faith, 
hope,  and  charity,  and  in  believing  that  "  the 
greatest  of  these  is  charity."  "  Ilini  that  is  weak 
in  the  faith  receive  ye,  but  not  to  doubtful  dispu- 
tations. Let  not  him  that  eateth  despise  him  that 
eateth  not,  and  let  not  him  which  eateth  not 
judge  him  that  eateth  :  for  God  hath  received 
him.  We  then  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the 
iuQrmilies  of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please  ourselves. 
Wherefore  receive  ye  one  another,  as  Chi-ist  also 
•ceived  us,  to  the  glory  of  God.''* 

Another  essential  feature  of  Christian  Union  is 
ministerial  felloicship.  And  why  should  noh  this 
exist  ?  As  the  conduct  of  Christ  constitutes  our 
model  in  reference  to  the  ordinary  members  of  the 
Church,  so  should  it  constitute  our  model  in  rela- 
tion to  the  ofllcc-bearers  of  the  Church.  If,  then, 
there  be  persons  whom  we  are  persuaded  Ho 


*  Rom.  xiv.  1,  3,- and  .\v.,  1  7. 

4 


38  THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


recognizes  as  His  ambassadors  and  servants,  it  is 
our  duty  to  recognize  them  in  that  capacity,  recol- 
lecting that  he  ■who  receiveth  the  messenger  re- 
ceives Him  that  sent  him,  and  tliat  he  that  despiseth 
the  servant  virtually  despiseth  the  Master.  And 
in  spite  of  the  multitudinous  and  vexatious  con- 
troversies which  have  been  agitated  respecting 
"  the  proper  channels  for  conveying,  and  the  legiti- 
mate mode  of  vesting,"  the  office  of  the  Christian 
minister,  we  cannot  but  think  the  subject  would 
not  occasion  much  perplexity  in  practice,  if  there 
was  a  controlling  desire  to  follow  the  example, 
and  to  comply  with  the  injunctions,  of  Jesus.  It 
is  the  direction  of  Paul  to  his  son  Timothy — "  The 
things  thou  hast  heard  of  me,  among  many  wit- 
nesses, the  same  commit  thou  to  faithful  men, 
who  shall  be  able  to  teach  others  also."  In  thin 
passage  there  are  two  qualifications  specified  as 
indisgensable  to  a  Christian  minister— piety  and 
ability.  He  must  be  a  "faithful  man;"  he  must 
be  a  believer,  and  he  must  have  correct  and  en- 
larged views  of  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus," 
together  with  a  capacity  and  a  disposition  to  com- 
municate instruction,  so  as  to  be  "able  to  teach 
others  also."  In  judging  of  the  reality  and  the 
degree  of  these  indispensable  requisites,  there  is 


A  PLEA  FOE  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  39 


room,  of  course,  for  a  considerable  diversity  of 
opinion.  If,  liowever,  it  is  ascertained  by  us, 
eitlier  from  personal  knowledge,  or  competent  tes- 
timonj',  that  any  minister  belonging  to  another 
department  of  the  Christian  Church,  possesses 
undoubtedl}'  these  qualifications,  "we  cannot  gi'eatly 
err  in  acknowledging  him,  but  we  maj-  greatly  err 
in  refusing  to  acknowledge  him  as  "a  servant  of 
Christ,"  even  though  he  should  dissent  from  us 
on  many  points  of  ecclesiastical  politj',  and  even 
on  the  minor  details  of  Christian  doctrine.  If,  as 
we  hav^  seen,  to  exclude  from  the  Supper  of  the 
Lord,  those  whom  the  Lord  Himself  invites,  seems 
manifestly  repugnant,  not  only  to  the  enactments 
of  Scripture,  but  to  the  natural  perceptions  and 
the  instinctive  feelings  of  the  new  creature,  surely 
there  is  something  unnatural  in  refusing  to  ac- 
knowledge, as  servants  of  Christ,  and  ministers  of 
His  word,  persons  who  are  evidently  accredited 
by  Christ  himself. 

"There  is  surely  something  unnatural," says  an 
eminent  Scotch  divine,  in  an  Essay  published 
some  years  ago,  "in  refusing  to  acknowledge  as 
servants  of  Christ,  and  ministers  of  His  word, 
persons  who  are  evidently  accredited  by  Chris.t 
himself.    And  yet,  how  extensively  lias  this  incon- 


40 


THE  AOE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


gruity  been  exempliflecl  in  our  own  country !  Few 
evangelical  ministers  of  any  denomination,  (and 
it  is  only  of  them  that  we  now  speak,)  but  are 
glad  to  consult  the  excellent  Commentary  of  Mat- 
thew Henrj',  when  preparing  for  their  weekly  ex- 
positions of  Scripture,  aud  few  of  them  but  would 
recommend  in  the  highest  terms  Dr  Doddridge's 
invaluable  treatise  on  '  The  Rise  and  Progress  of 
Religion  in  the  Soul.'  But,  su^jpose  that  Henry 
or  Doddridge  had  appeared  in  Scotland  a  few 
years  ago,  how  would  they  have  been  treated? 
Five  years  ago,  Henry  would  with  difRcuI^  have 
been  allowed  to  deliver  one  of  his  inimitable  exjjo- 
sitions,  or  Doddridge  one  of  his  beautiful  and  * 
tender  sermons,  in  a  pulpit  belonging  to  the  Estab- 
lished Church,  many  as  were  the  excellent  minis- 
ters it  then  contained.  And  fifty  years  ago,  each 
of  these  admirable  individuals  would  probably  have 
experienced  similar  treatment  in  both  branches  of 
the  United  Secession.  Is  there  not  something  not 
only  sinful  and  absurd,  but  monstrous  and  shock- 
ing in  such  exclusiveness  and  intolerance?" 

It  is,  indeed,  utterly  incomprehensible  to  us,  how 
the  ministerial  standing  of  those  evangelical  minis- 
ters can  be  denied,  who  have  been  regularly  set 
apart  by  their  respective  Churches  to  the  work  of 


A  PLEA  FOR  CEBISTIAN  UNIOW.  41 


preaching  the  Gospel,  and  upon  whose  ministry  God 
sets  the  seal  of  His  approbation.  Are  not  sinners 
converted  by  the  Divine  blessing,  under  their  minis- 
trations, and  prepared  for  heaven  ?  Who  will,  or 
does,  venture  to  deny  this  ?  What",  then,  do  they 
lack  to  make  their  ministerial  standing  complete  ? 
What  more  can  those  do  who  fail  to  recognize 
them,  than  serve  also  as  instruments  in  God's  hands 
for  fulfilling  His  gracious  purpose  of  salvation  ? 

A  third  essential  feature  of  Christian  Union  is  a 
rejjresentative  assembly,  Clerical  and  Lay,  to  meet 
at  stated^periods  for  consultation,  supervision,  and 
direction  in  regard  to  the  interests  of  religion  in 
I'll',  various  denominations  represented.  In  regard 
to  this  representative  and  delegated  body,  we  pre- 
sume not  to  enter  into  any  details  as  to  its  con- 
stitution and  its  powers.  It  is  not  necessary  that 
we  should  do  so.  It  is  enough  for  us  to  suggest 
the  idea,  and  to  intimate  that  it  does  not  propose 
interference  with  any  form  of  government  or  wor- 
ship, but  to  leave  each  denomination,  as  now,  at 
liberty  to  determine  those  matters  for  itself  Well 
assured  we  are,  that  with  such  an  arrangement, 
the  divisions  of  tlie  Church  would  be  almost  en- 
tirely healed,  and  her  unity  re- established.  There 

would  still  be  denominations,  but  whatever  is  most 
4» 


43 


THE  AGE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


malignant  and  hurtful  in  such  divisions  would  be 
exterminated.  It  could  not  perhaps  be  said  that 
"  there  was  no  longer  Greek  and  Jew,  circumcision 
and  uncircumcision,  barbarian  and  Scythian,  bond 
and  free,"  but  it  might  be  said  that  "  they  were 
all  one  in  Christ  Jesus,"  and  that  "  Christ  was 
all,  and  in  all."  There  would  still  be  the  Episco- 
palian, the  Presbj'terian,  the  Lutheran,  the  Con- 
gregationalist,  the  Baptist,  and  the  Methodist, 
but  they  would  be  perceived  to  belong  to  one 
heavenly  community,  and  would  be  separated  by 
a  distinct  line  of  demarcation  from  "the  world  ot 
the  ungodly."  Amid  comiilexional  differences, 
which  would  impart  to  them  variety  and  beauty 
rather  than  deformity,  they  would  exhibit  con- 
spicuously a  family  likeness,  and  the  influence  of 
their  common  Christianity,  though  slightly  modi- 
fied by  their  individuual  peculiarities,  would  be 
unequivocally  stamped  on  them  all— 

"  Varied  in  all,  and  yet  in  all  the  same." 
What  has  been  said  in  reference  to  the  worshippers 
in  the  celestial  sanctuary,  and  will  be  fully  realized 
only  in  them,  would  thus  be  in  no  small  degree 
exemplilTcd  also  in  the  worshippers  on  earth: 
"  Ten  Ihousaud  thousand  arc  their  tongues. 
But  all  tlicir  hearts  arc  one." 


A  PLEA  FOE  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


43 


Would  it  be  impossible  to  find  a  suitable  basis 
for  such  a  couventiou  as  has  been  proposed  ?  We 
think  not.  Look  at  the  main  points  on  which  all 
Evangelical  denominations  agree.    They  all  hold  : 

1.  The  Divine  inspiration,  authority,  and  suffi- 
ciency of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

2.  The  right  and  duty  of  private  judgment  in 
the  interpretation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

3.  The  Unity  of  the  Godhead,  and  the  Trinity 

of  Persons  therein. 
.• 

4.  The  utter  depravity  of  human  nature,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  fall. 

5.  The  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God,  His  work 
of  atonement  for  sinners  of  mankind,  and  His 
Mediatorial  intercession  and  reign. 

6.  The  justification  of  the  sinner  by  faith  alone. 

7.  The  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  conversion 
and  san^tification  of  the  sinner. 

8.  The  immortality  of  the  soul,  the  I'esurrcction 
of  the  body,  the  judgment  of  tlie  world  by  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  the  eternal  blessedness  of 


44 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


the  righteous,  and  the  eternal  punishment  of  the 
■wicked. 

9.  The  Divine  institution  of  the  Christian  Minis- 
try,  and  the  obligation  and  perpetuity  of  the 
ordinances  of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

Would  not  these  tenets,  with  the  distinct  under- 
standing that  the  selection  of  them,  and  the  omis- 
sion of  others,  is  not  to  be  held  as  impljang  that 
the  former  constitute  the  whole  bodj''  of  important 
truth,  or  that  the.  latter  are  unimportant,  be  a 
broad  enough  basis  on  which  to  estg,blish  such  a 
Convention,  or  Assembly,  or  Synod,  as  we  suggest? 


A  PLEA  FOR  CERISTIAN  UNION. 


45 


ESTIMONY    OF    tSMINENT  /VUNIS- 


One  of  the  sad  effects  which  have  been  produced 
by  divisions  in  the  Church  is  the  insensibility  to 
their  criminal  character  and  their  ruinous  conse- 
quences evinced  by  many  who  have  witnessed 
them,,  as  well  as  by  many  who  have  contributed 
•  largely  to  thoir  production.  Like  the  apathy  with 
regard  to  the  spiritual  miseries  of  the  heatlien 
■world,  and  the  disregard  of  the  departing  Saviour's 
last  injunction,  manifested  for  centuries  after  the 
Reformation,  the  insensibility  to  schism  and  its 
necessary  concomitants  presents  a  phenomenon 
somewhat  hard  to  be  explained.  As  the  man  who 
is  accustomed  to  breathe  a  tainted  atmosphere 
becomes  insensible  to  its  nauseousness  and  its 
noxiousness,  and  as  the  most  revolting  scenes  of 
pollution  and  blood  cease  to  shock  those  who  are 
every  day  doomed  to  witness  them,  so  something 
analogous  occurs  with  respect  to  moral  and 
spiritual  objects.  The  statement  of  the  poet,  when 
he  tells  us  that 


TERS  AND 


AYMEN. 


"  Vice  is  a  monster  of  so  frightful  mien, 
Afl  to  be  bated,  uocds  but  to  be  seen," 


.46  THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


must  be  understood  with  some  limitations,  but 
experience  amply  corroborates  his  assertion  when 
he  adds : 

"  Yet,  seen  too  oft,  familiar  with  her  face, 
We  first  eudure,  then  pity,  then  embrace." 

Thus,  certainly,  it  has  happened  with  regard  to 
the  evils  resulting  from  divisions  in  the  Church. 
We  are  so  familiar  with  the  hideous  spectacle  of 
animosities  and  separations,  that  it  fails  to  excite 
those  emotions  of  amazement,  and  grief,  and  hor- 
ror, with  which  it  would  undoubtedly  be  contem- 
plated, if  our  ideas  of  the  Church  were  copied  cor- 
rectly from  the  pattern  shown  in  the  Mount. 

It  is,  indeed,  to  be  acknowledged,  and  ac- 
knowledged with  devout  gratitude,  that  in  con- 
sequence chiefly  of  the  Missionary,  Tract,  Sunday- 
school,  and  other  similar  enterprises,  undertaken 
within  the  present  century,  the  asperities  of  party 
have  been  considerably'  abated — that  more  liberal 
views  and  kindly  feelings  have  begun  to  be 
cherished,  and  that  among  the  truly  good  of  al- 
most every  sect,  there  has  been  manifested  a 
tendency  towards  a  mutual  approximation.  Still 
it  is  true,  that  even  in  our  own  highly-favored  and 
much-loved  land  unsoeml}'  dissensions  exist,  and 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  47 


the  garden  of  the  L<SrcI  j'et  presents,  to  a  lament- 
able extent,  an  inversion  of  the  beautiful  descrip- 
tion of  the  Trophct,  "  Instead  of  the  thorn  shall 
come  up  the  fir  tree,  and  instead  of  the  brier  shall 
come  up  the  myrtle  tree."  Many  there  are  also, 
whose  piety  it  would  be  unreasonable  to  question, 
to  whom  these  animosities  and  separations  appear 
to  be  be  matters  of  indifference. 

It  may  help  to  break  up  this  apathy,  to  learn 
what  distinguished  ministers  and  members  of 
various  denominations,  have  said  upon  the  subject. 

AUGUSTINE. 

He  has  not  the  love  of  God,  who  docs  not  seek 
the  unity  of  the  Church. 

•  CniLLINGWORTH. 

If  the  ruptures  of  the  Church  might  be  composed, 
I  do  heartily  wish  that  the  cement  were  made  of 
my  dearest  blood. 

To  the  Romanists,  Chillingworth  also  said  :  "  To 
you  and  to  your  Church  we  leave  it,  to  separate 
Christians  from  the  Church  and  to  proscribe  them 
from  heaven  upon  trivial  causes.   As  for  ourselves, 


48  THE  AOE-qUESTION ;  OB, 

• 

we  conceive  a  charitable  jud^fiient  of  our  brethren 
and  their  errors,  though  untrue,  much  more  pleas- 
ing to  God  than  a  true  judgment,  if  it  be  unchari- 
table. And  therefore,  we  shall  always  choose,  if 
we  do  err,  to  err  on  the  milder  and  more  merciful 
part,  and  rather  retain  those  in  our  communion 
who  deserve  to  be  ejected,  than  to  eject  those  that 
deserve  to  be  retained." 

OWETT. 

I  confess  I  would  rather,  much  rather,  spend  all 
mj  time  and  days  in  making  up  and  healing  the 
breaches  and  schisms  that  are  amongst  Christians, 
than  one  hour  in  justifj'iug  our  divisions  even 
therein,  wherein  on  the  one  side  fhcj  are  capable 
of  a  just  defence. 

HOOKER. 

Far  more  comfort  were  it  for  us  to  labor  imder 
the  same  yoke  as  men  who  look  for  the  same  eter- 
nal'reward  of  their  labors,  to  be  enjoined  with  you 
in  bonds  of  indissoluble  love  and  unity,  to  live  as 
if,  our  pex'sons  being  many,  our  souls  were  but 
one,  rather  than  in  such  dismembered  sort  to 
spend  our  few  and  wretched  days  in  a  tedious 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  49 


prosecuting  of  wearisome  contentions,  the  end 
whereof,  if  they  have  not  some  speedy  end,  will  be 
heavy  on  both  sides. 

BISHOP  HALL. 

"We  are  one  body,  let  us  also  be  of  one  mind. 
By  that  tremendous  name  of  the  Almighty  God — 
by  your  own  souls — by  the  most  holy  compassions 
of  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour,  aim  at  peace,  brethren, 
enter  into  peace,  that,  la3-ing  aside  all  prejudice, 
party  spirit,  and  evil  affections,  we  may  all  come 
to  a  happy  agreement  in  the  same  truth. — Sermon 
before  the  Synod  of  Dart. 

HON.  ROBERT  BOYLE. 

It  has  long  been  my  grief,  as  well  as  my  won- 
der, to  see  such  comparatively  petty  differences  in 
judgment  make  such  wide  breaches  and  vast  divi- 
sions in  afTectiou. 

BISHOP  RIDLEY, 

In  writing  to  Bishop  Hooper,  when  both  were 
prisoners  for  Christ,  laments  their  "  little  jarring 
in  times  past,  about  the  bj'-matters  and  circum- 
stances of  religion,"  but  assures  him  that,  "  with 
5 


50  THE  AGE-qUESTION ;  OR, 


his  whole  heart  in  the  bowels  of  Christ,  he  loves 
him  for  the  truth's  sake,  which  abideth  in  us." 

BISHOP  KEN, 

I  believe,  O  King  of  Saints,  that  among  the 
Saints  on  earth,  whether  real,  or  in  outward  pro- 
fession only,  there  ought  to  be  a  mutual  catholic 
participation  of  all  good  things,  (1  John  i.  T,) 
which  is  the  immediate  effect  of  catholic  love.' 
Thou,  O  God  of  Love,  restore  it  to  Thy  Church. 

I  believe,  O  Thou  God  of  Love,  that  all  the 
saints  ujDon  earth  by  profession  ought  to  commu- 
nicate one  with  another,  in  evangelical  worshijo, 
and  the  same  holy  sacrament,  in  the  same  Divine 
and  Apostolical  faith,  (Acts  xi.  42-46,)  in  all 
offices  of  corporal  (Gal.  vi.  10)  and  spiritual  char- 
ity, (Rom.  xii.  9,  &c.  ;  1  Thcss.  v.  14 ;  Ileb.  x.  25,) 
in  reciprocal  delight  in  each  other's  salvation,  and 
in  tender  sympathy,  as  members  of  one  and  the 
same  body,  (1  Cor.  xii.  13-26.)  O  God  of  Peace, 
restore,  in  Thy  good  time,  this  catholic  communion, 
that,  with  one  heart  and  one  mouth,  we  may  all 
liraise  and  love  Thee. 

O  my  God,  amidst  the  deplorable  divisions  of  • 
Thy  Church,  O  let  mc  uevei"  widen  its  breaches, 


A  PLEA  FOR  CnRISTIAN  UNION.  51 


but  give  me  catholic  charity  to  all  that  are  bap- 
tized in  Thy  name,  and  catholic  communion  with 
all  Christians  in  desire.  Oh,  deli\;er  me  from  the 
sins  and  errors,  from  the  schisms  and  heresies  of 
the  age.  Oh,  give  me  grace  to  pray  daily  for  the 
peace  of  Thy  Church,  (Ps.  cxxxii.  6,)  and  earn- 
estly to  seek  it,  and  to  excite  all  I  can  to  praise 
and  to  love  Thee. 

I  believe,  0  most  holy  Jesus,  that  thy  saints 
here  below  have  communion  with  thy  saints  above, 
(Heb.  xii.  22,)  while  we  celebrate  their  memories, 
congratulate  their  bliss,  give  Thee  thanks  for 
their  labors  of  love,  and  imitate  their  example ; 
for  which  all  love,  all  glory  be  to  Thee. 

I  believe,  0  gracious  Redeemer,  that  Thy  saints 
here  on  earth  have  communion  with  the  holy 
angels  above ;  that  they  are  ministering  spirits, 
(Ileb.  i.  14,)  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who 
shall  be  heirs  of  ^Ivation,  and  watch  over  us, 
(Ps.  xxxiv.  1.)  and  we  give  thanks  to  Thee  for 
their  protection,  and  emulate  their  incessant 
praises  and  ready  obedience ;  for  which  all  love, 
all  glory  be  to  Thee. 

I  believe,  O  my  Lord  and  my  God,  that  tlie 
saints  in  this  life  have  communion  witli  the  Three 
Persons  of  the  most  adorable  Trinity,  (John  i.  3 ; 


53  THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


Phil.  ii.  1,)  in  the  same  most  benign  influences  of 
love  in  which  all  Three  conspire ;  for  which  all  love, 
all  glory  be  to  Thee,  O  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  world  without  end. 

Glory  be  to  Thee,  O  Goodness  infinitely  diffusive, 
for  all  the  graces  and  blessings  in  which  the  saints 
communicate,  for  breathing  Thy  love  into  Thy 
mystical  body,  as  the  very  soul  that  informs  it, 
that  all  that  believe  in  Thee  may  love  one  another, 
and  all  join  in  loving  Thee. 

REV.  RICHARD  BAXTER. 

Thousands  have  been  drawn  to  Popery,  and 
confirmed  in  it,  by  the  divisions  of  Protestants. 
We  take  the  position,  and  we  believe  it  tenable, 
that  the  Gospel  cannot  accomplish  its  great 
triumph,  and  collect  the  redeemed  from  every 
land,  until  the  law  of  Christ  be  fulfilled  by  these 
Protestant  sects.  Jesus  Christ  will  not  sustain 
us — the  Holy  Spirit  will  not  overshadow  us  with 
His  presence — we  shall  waste  those  '^ery  energies 
and  instrumentalities  which  are  required  for  the 
work,  we  shall  not  possess  the  character  requisite 
for  the  work,  we  shall  be  impeded  in  our  move- 
ments among  the  heathen,  and  prove  their  scorn 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  53 


and  derision ;  like  the  Israelites  of  old,  we  shall 
die  in  the  wilderness,  in  view  of  the  promised  land, 
and  leave  the  glory  and  the  blessedness  of  crossing 
the  Jordan  to  a  generation  who  understand  our 
Christianity  better,  and  imbibe  its  pure  spirit, 
without  these  gross  and  bitter  mixtures.  I  can  as 
willingly  be  a  martyr  for  Love,  as  for  any  article 
of  the  Creed. 

REV  JOHN  NEWTON, 

In  a  letter  to  a  clerical  friend,  says :  I  know 
not  how  it  is ;  I  think  my  sentiments  and  experi- 
ence are  as  orthodox  and  Cal^inistical  as  need  be; 
and  yet  I  am  a  sort  of  speckled  bird  among  my 
Calvinist  brethren.  I  am  a  mighty  good  Church- 
man, but  pass  amongst  such  as  a  Dissenter  in 
prunoUo.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Dissenters 
(many  of  them,  I  mean)  think  me  defective,  either 
in  understanding  or  in  conscience,  for  stag  ing 
where  I  am.  Well,  there  is  a  middle  party,  called 
Methodists,  but  neither  do  my  dimensions  exactly 
fit  with  them.  I  am  somehow  disqualified  for 
claiming  a  full  brotherhood  with  any  party.  But 
there  are  a  few  among  all  parties  wiio  bear  with 

me  and  love  mc,  and  with  this  I  must  be  content 
5* 


54 


TEE  AOE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


at  present.  But  so  far  as  they  love  the  Lord 
Jesus,  I  desire,  and  by  His  grace  I  determine, 
(with  or  without  their  leave,)  to  love  them  all. 
Party  walls,  though  stronger  than  the  walls  of 
Babylon,  must  come  down  in  the  general  ruin, 
when  the  earth  and  all  its  works  shall  be  burnt  up, 
if  not  sooner. 

BEY.  GEORGE  WHITFIELD. 

"  O,  how  do  I  long  to  see  bigotry  and  party 
zeal  taken  away,  and  all  the  Lord's  servants  more 
knit  together  !  Would  that  all  the  names  among 
the  Saints  of  God  were  swallowed  up  in  that  one 
•  of  Christian."  p 

Circumstances,  of  which  it  is  unnecessary  here 
•  to  speak,  led  Whitfield  and  Wesley  into  a  contro- 

versy which  was  in  many  respects  unhappy, 
although  it  arose  from  a  conscientious  regard  for 
what  each  deemed  the  important  interests  of 
Truth.  But,  in  their  severest  strictures  upon  the 
opinions  of  each  other,  thej'  cherislied  toward  each 
other  the  "love  of  the  brethren."  Whitfield  enter- 
tained a  filial  feeling  in  relation  to  Wesley.  He  not 
only  loved  him — he  revered  him.  In  a  letter  which  he 
addressed  to  him  from  Philadelphia,  September  11, 
1747,  he  said:  "1  hope  ere  long  to  be  dclivei'ed 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


55 


from  my  outward  embarrassments :  I  long  to  owe 
no  man  any  thing  but  love.  This  is  a  debt,  rev- 
erend sir,  I  shall  never  be  able  to  discharge  to  you 
or  your  brother  :  Jesus  will  pay  you  all.  For  His 
sake  I  love  and  honor  you  very  much,  and  rejoice 
as  much  in  your  success  as  in  my  own.  I  cannot 
agree  with  you  in  some  principles,  but  that  need 
not  hinder  love,  since  I  trust  we  hold  the  founda- 
tion, even  Jesus,  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and 
forever.  The  Lord  bless  what  is  right,  and  rectify  * 
what  is  wrong,  in  us  all !  Even  so.  Lord  Jesus, 
Amen.  0,  for  heaven !  where  we  shall  mistake, 
and  judge,  and  grieve  one  another  no  more !" 

REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

Mr.  Wesley  preached  Whitfield's  funeral  sermon, 
and,  in  his  fraternal  testimony,  took  occasion  to 
exhibit  and  inculcate  Christian  Union. 

"  Is  there  any  other  fruit  of  the  grace  of  God 
with  which  he  was  eminently  endowed,  and  the 
want  of  which  among  the  children  of  God,  he  fre- 
quently and  passionately  lamented  ?  There  is  one, 
that  is  catholic  love,  that  sincere  and  tender  affec- 
tion which  is  due  to  all  those  who,  we  have  reason 
to  believe,  are  children  of  God  by  faitii ;  in  otlicr 
words,  all  tiiosc,  iii  every  persuasion,  who  'fear 


56 


THE  AGE-qUESTlON ;  OR, 


God  and  work  righteousness.'  He  longed  to  see 
all  who  had  '  tasted  of  the  good  word,'  of  a  true 
catholic  spirit,  a  word  little  understood  and  stiU 
less  experienced  by  many  who  have  it  frequently 
in  their  mouth.  Who  is  he  that  answers  this 
character  ?  Who  is  a  man  of  a  catholic  spirit  ? 
One  who  loves  as  friends,  as  brethren  in  the  Lord, 
as  j  oint  partakers  of  the  present  kingdom  of  heaven, 
and  fellow-heirs  of  His  eternal  kingdom — all,  of 
whatever  opinion,  mode  of  worship  or  congrega- 
tion, who  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  love  God 
and  man,  who,  rejoicing  to  please,  and  fearing  to 
offend  God,  are  careful  to  abstain  from  evil,  and 
zealous  of  good  works.  He  is  a  man  of  a  truly 
catholic  spirit,  who  bears  all  these  continually 
upon  his  heart ;  who,  having  an  unspeakable  ten- 
derness for  their  persons,  and  an  earnest  desire  of 
their  welfare,  does  not  cease  to  commend  them  to 
God  in  prayer,  as  well  as  to  plead  their  cause 
before  men;  who  speaks  comfortably  to  them,  and 
labors  by  all  his  words  to  strengthen  their  hands 
in  God.  He  assists  men  to  the  uttci'most  of  his 
power  in  all  things  spiritual  and  temporal,  he  is 
ready  to  '  spend  and  be  spent  for  them,  yea,  to  lay 
down  his  life  lor  his  brethren.' 

"  How  amiable  a  character  is  this !    How  de- 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  57 


sirable  to  every  child  of  God  !  But  y;h.y  is  it  thpn 
so  rarely  found  ?  How  is  it  that  there  are  so  few- 
instances  of  it  ?  Indeed,  supposing  we  have  tasted 
of  the'  love  of  God,  how  can  any  of  us  rest  till  it  is 
our  own  ?  Why,  there  is  a  delicate  device  whereby 
Satan  persuades  thousands  that  they  may  stop 
short  of  it,  and  yet  be  guiltless.  It  is  well  if  many 
here  present  are  not  iu  this  '  snare  of  the  devil,' 
taken  captive  at  his  will !  '0  yes,'  sa^'s  one,  'I 
have  all  this  love  for  those  I  believe  to  be  children 
God,  but  I  will  never  believe  he  is  a  child  of  God, 
who  belongs  to  that  vile  congregation ;  can  he, 
•do  you  think,  be  a  child  of  God  who  holds  such 
detestable  opinions  ?  or  he  that  joins  in  such 
senseless  and  superstitious,  if  not  idolatrous  wor- 
ship V  So  we  may  justify  ourselves  in  one  sin  by 
adding  a  second  to  it!  We  excuse  the  want  of 
love  in  ourselves  by  laying  the  blame  on  othcr^ 
To  color  our  own  devilish  temper,  we  pronounce 
our  brethren  children  of  the  devil.  Oh,  beware  of 
this,  and  if  you  are  already  taken  in  the  snare, 
escape  out  of  it  as  soon  as  possible.  Go  and  learn 
that  truly  catholic  love  which  '  is  not  rash  '  or  hasty 
in  judging,  that  love  which  'thinketh  no  evil,' 
which  believeth  and  hopeth  all  things,  which  makes 
all  the  allowance  for  olliers  .that  we  desire  others 


58 


TUB  AGE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


shonld  make  foiMis  !  Then  ttc  shall  take  knowledge 
of  the  grace  of  God  which  is  in  eveiy  man,  what- 
ever be  his  opinions  or  mode  of  worship,  then  will 
all  that  fear  God  be  near  and  dear  unto  us  '  in  the 
bowels  of  Jesus  Christ.'  "Was  not  this  the  spirit 
of  our  dear  friend  ?  and  why  should  it  not  be  ours  ? 
Oh,  thou  God  of  love  !  how  long  shall  thy  people 
be  a  bj'-word  among  the  heathen  ?  How  long  shall 
they  laugh  us  to  scorn,  and  saj'',  See  how  these 
Christians  hate  one  another  ?  When  wilt  thou  i-oU 
away  our  reproach  ?  '  Shall  the  sword  devour  for 
ever  ?'  How  long  will  it  be  ere  thou  bid  thy  people 
return  '  from  following  each  other  ?  '  Now  at 
least,  'let  all  the  people  stand  still  and  pursue 
after  their  brethren  no  more ! '  But,  whatever 
others  do,  let  all  of  us,  my  brcthi-en,  hear  the  voice 
of  him  that  being  dead  yet  speaketh.  Suppose  j'e 
h^r  him  say  '  Now,  at  least,  be  ye  followers  of  me 
as  I  was  of  Christ !  Let  brother  no  more  lift  up 
sword  against  brother,  neither  kuow  jg  war  any 
more.  Rather  put  yc  on,  as  the  elect  of  God, 
•bowels  of  mercies,  humbleness  of  mind,  brotherly 
kindness,  gentleness,  long-suffering,  forbearing  one 
another  in  love.  Let  the  time  past  suffice  for 
strife,  enxy,  contention,  for  biting  and  devouring 
one  another.' " 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHItmTIAN  UNION. 


59 


REV.  MR.  FLETCHER 

Says :  "  Let  us  be  afraid  of  a  sectarian  spirit. 
We  may,  indeed,  and  we  ought  to  be  more  familiar 
with  the  professors  with  whom  we  are  more  par- 
ticularly connected,  as  soldiers  of  the  same  regi- 
ment arc  more  familiar  with  one  another,  than 
with  .those  who  belong  to  other  regiments.  But 
the  moment  this  particular  attachment  grows  to 
such  a  degree  as  to  make  a  party  in  the  army  of 
King  Jesus,  or  of  King  George,  it  hurts  the  har- 
mony which  ouglit  to  subsist  between  all  the  parts, 
and  hinders  the  general  service  which  is  expected 
from  the  whole  body.  In  what  a  deplorable  con- 
dition would  be  the  king's  affairs,  if  each  colon^ 
in  his  army  refused  to  do  dut}'  with  another  colonel, 
and,  if,  instead  of  mutually  supporting  one  another 
in  a  day«of  battle,  each  said  to  the  rest :  '  1  will 
have  nothing  to  do  with  you  and  j  our  corps :  you 
may  fight  yonder,  if  you  please :  I,  and  my  men, 
will  keep  here  by  ourselves,  doing  what  seems 
good  in  our  own  ej'cs.  As  we  expect  no  assistance 
from  you,  so  we  promise  you  tliat  you  shall  have 
none  from  us  And  you  may  think  yourselves 
well  off  if  we  do  not  join  the  common  enemy,  and 
fire  at  you,  for  your  rcgiuicntals  arc  diflerent  from 


60 


THE  AOE-qVESTION;  OR, 


ours,  and  therefore  you  are  no  part  of  our  army.' 
If  so  absurd  a  behavior  were  excusable,  it  would 
be  among  the  wild,  cruel  men,  who  compose  an 
army  of  Tartars  or  savages,  but  it  admits  of  no 
excuse  from  men  who  call  themselves  Believers, 
which  is  another  name  for  the  followers  of  Him 
who  laid  down  His  life  for  his  enemies,  and  per- 
petually' exhorts  His  soldiers  to  '  love  one  another, 
as  brethren,'  yea,  'as  He  loved  us.'  " 

REV.  J.  M.  MASOJ^",  D.  D., 

Of  Xcw  York,  when  he  was  in  Europe,  addressed 
a  parting  letter,  as  he  was  about  to  return  to  the 
United  States,  to  a  highlj^  valued  friend,  who  was  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  from  which  the 
following  is  an  extract : 

"  I  trust  I  shall  not  forget  how  much  I  owe  to 
that  Christian  charity,  which  makes  lore  to  our 
Lord  and  Redeemer  a  sure  passport  to  the  heart — 
may  it  increase  more  and  more.  It  is  unseemly, 
most  unseemly,  to  be  searching  for  moles  and 
jiock-pits  in  a  face  beaming  with  the  image  of  the 
first-born.  Believers  are  often  tied  with  pack- 
threads by  their  little  fingers,  into  small  unions, 
but  the  great  Unity  ^vhich  binds,  their  hearts 
together  and  Avill  last  when  the  pack-threads  shall 


A  PLEA  FOE  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  Gl 


be  destro3'ecl  bj'  a  touch  of  the  fire,  is  their  unity 
in  the  Son  of  God.  Comparatively  speaking,  I 
see  no  other  sectarianism  worth  fighting  for,  and 
they  who  fight  well  for  that,  enduring  hardness  as 
good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ,  have  but  little  leisure 
or  inclination  for  the  small  and  unpurposed  busi- 
ness of  subaltern  skirmishes  and  squabbles." 

REV.  DR.  WARDLAW. 

Doubtless  we  all  expect  that,  when  we  get  to 
heaven,  all  who  differed  from  us  here  will  be  satis- 
fied that  we  had  the  right  of  it.  But  of  one  thing 
we  are  sure,  that  there,  even  should  we  find  out 
that  we  had  been  in  the  wrong,  there  will  be  no 
such  diflliculty  as  we  have  here  in  admitting  the 
error — no  jealousy,  no  envy — no  mortification  on 
the  one  side,  and  no  pride  of  exulting  satisfaction 
on  the  other.  Here — poor  foolish  creatures  that 
we  are — so  strong  are  these  and  kindred  feelings, 
that  we  would  almost  rather  keep  our  errors  than 
confess  them.  There,  the  love  of  truth  will  be 
paramount,  and  adoring  admiration  of  the  God  of 
trutff^vill  swallow  up  every  feeling  that  has  aught 
of  self  in  it.  But  still,  it  will  be  the  truth  that  is 
felt  as  the  uniting  bond,  even  when  on  other  points, 

as  well  as  on  It),  we  shall  be  all  one.    O,  for  more 
G 


62  ^HE  AGE-qUESTION;  OR, 


of  the  binding— widely  and  warmly  binding — < 
energy  of  this  truth  on  earth,  in  anticipation  of 
the  love  and  concord  of  heaven ! 

J.  n.  MERLE  D'AUBIGNB,  D.  D. 

If  I  ask  myself,  what  it  is  that  essentially  op- 
poses the  union  of  Christians,  not  only  in  respect,* 
to  others,  but  to  myself  also,  I  find  no  answer  but 
one — sin  !  *  *  That  which  gives  life  to  churches 
is  not  their  diversities  of  governvient,  or  worship, 
or  of  discipline,  but  that  "  most  holy  faith  "  which  is 
common  to  them  all.    Thei-r  life  and  their  Aigor 
are  not  in  their  garb,  whether  black  or  white,  but 
in  the  heart  that  lies  beneath  it.    The  vitality  of  a 
church  comes  not  from  below,  but  from  above,  from 
heaven,  and  from  the  throne  on  which  the  Saviour 
reigns.    If  there  are  many  members  in  a  Church 
who  esteem  the  things  beneath,  in  respect  to  which 
Christians  dilfcr,  more  than  the  things  above,  in 
which  they  agree,  this  disi'egard   of  heavenly 
things  cannot  but  be  avenged ;  the  spirit  of  life  in 
Christ  Jesus  will  be  dissipated,  it  will  vani^  and 
leave  but  the  lifeless  body, — the  form  alone  will 
remain.    To  contribute  to  such  a  state  of  things 
is  a  transgression  against  the  Church.  Doubtless, 
there  exist  in  the  Church  certain  divergent  ten- 


A  PLEA  FOR  0HBI8TIAN  UNION. 


63 


dencies,  wbicli  are  salutary,  and  it  is  even  desirable, 
that  these  divergent  iniiuences  should  have  a  certain 
development  within  it.  But  the  time  approaches 
when  these  contrary  tendencies  should  cease.  To 
a  diversrent  march  a  convergent  march  should 

©  CD 

succeed.  If  the  host  deploys  beyond  what  is 
necessary,  weakness  must  be  the  consequence.  It 
may  be  right  that  the  ships  of  a  fleet,  in  the  daj'  of 
battle,  should  remove  a  little  from  each  other,  and 
take  open  order,  that  they  ma}'^  have  sea-room  for 
their  movements,  and  occupy  their  proper  ap- 
pointed positions,  but  they  ought  not  to  move  off 
without  limitation,  and  scatter  themselves  north 
and  south,  at  random.  They  should  concentre  at 
last  for  the  crisig  of  the  fight,  and  direct  all  their 
fire  in  combination  on  the  common  enemy.  The 
union  of  all  true  Christians  ! — that  is  the  Reforma- 
tion of  the  ninteenth  cQBtury. 

REV.  ROBERT  HALL. 

Wc  cannot  but  look  back  with  regret  to  the 
period  when  the  followers  of  Christ  were  known 
only  as  Christians.  Happy  period,  when  instead 
of  being  rent  into  a  tliou.sand  parts,  and  split  into 
iiHunnerablc  divisions,  tlic  Church  of  Christ  was 
"  one  fold  under  one  Shepherd."  The  seamless  coat 


64  THE  AOE-qUE8TI0N ;  OB, 


of  the  Redeemer  was  of  one  entire  piece  from  the 
top  to  the  bottom.  The  -world  was  divided  into 
two  grand  parties — Christians  and  Pagans.  This 
happj'  state,  we  have  no  doubt,  will  occur  again. 
The  wolf  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard 
shall  lie  down  with  the  kid,  and  the  sucking  child 
shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  asp,  apd  the  weaned 
child  shall  put  his  hand  on  the  cockatrice's  den. 
They  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  my  holy 
mountain,  for  the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Lord.  In  consequence  of  a  more 
copious  communication  of  the  Spirit,  some  of  our 
differences  of  opinion  will  be  removed,  and  "  the 
shepherds  will  see  eye  to  eye,"  and  others  of  these 
differences  will  be  lost  in  the  indulgence  of  Chris- 
tian  charity,  in  the  noble  oblivion  of  love.  In  the 
meantime,  if  part}-  names  must  subsist,  let  us  care- 
fully watch  against  a  paij^y  spirit.  Let  us  direct 
our  chief  attention  to  what  constitutes  a  Christian, 
and  learn  to  prize  most  highly  those  great  truths 
in  which  all  good  men  are  agreed;  in  a  settled 
persuasion  that  whatever  is  disputed  or  obscure  in 
the  system  of  Christianity  is  in  that  proportion  of 
little  importance,  comx)ared  to  those  fundamental 
ti'uths  which  arc  inscribed  on  the  page  of  Revelation 
as  with  a  sunbeam ;  whenever  we  see  a  Christian, 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  65 


let  us  esteem,  let  us  love  him,  and,  though  he  be  weak 
in  faith,  receive  him    not  to  doubtful  disputation. " 

REV.  DR.  CHALMERS. 

The  Bible  Society,  several  Missionary  Societies, 
and  other  enterprises  of  religious  benevolence, 
have  been  tried,  and  with  some  service,  we  doubt 
not,  to  the  cause  of  Christian  charity.  Yet  all 
have  fallen  short  of  the  aim,  immeasurably  short 
of  the  fulfilment,  of  our  Saviour's  prayer,  (John, 
xvii.  21,)  which  was  for  the  establishment,  not  only 
of  such  a  zeal,  but  of  such  an  ostensible  unity 
among  Christians  as  could  be  seen  by  the  world, 
and  as  might  lead  the  world  to  believe  in  the  mission 
of  our  Saviour.  We  as  yet  see  no  perceptible 
advances  towards  such  a  consummation.  The 
sects  and  subdivisions  of  Christendom  continue  as 
numerous  as  before,  nor  are  we  sure  that  there  is 
less  of  jealousy  and  alienation,  and  heart-burning, 
among  the  different  branches  of  this  great,  but 
withal  disunited,  family.  •  It  were  well  if  Chris- 
tians could  be  made  more  alive  to  the  serious  evil, 
either  of  multiplying  differences,  or  of  magnifying 
these  differences  bcj-ond  the  real  dimensions  of 
the  worth  and  importance  which  belong  to  them. 

By  so  doing,  they  put  themselves  into  conflict 
6* 


66 


THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OR, 


with  the  object  of  our  Saviour's  prayer,  which  im- 
plies that  the  world's  regeneration  hinges  on  the 
palpable  unanimity  of  His  disciples.  It  is  true 
that  "we  are  bidden  to  contend  earnestly  for  the 
faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  and  that  what- 
ever is  not  of  faith  is  sin.  Such  is  the  deference 
to  the  right  of  private  judgment,  that  each  man 
should  be  left  to  believe  in  the  light  of  his  own 
understanding,  and,  if  he  act  not  according  to  his 
belief,  he  acts  sinfully.  It  is  very  possible,  how- 
ever, that  there  might  be  a  particular  matter  of 
faith  in  his  mind,  which  forms  no  part  of  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints — neither  oi^posed  to* 
it,  nor  yet  belonging  to  it,  just  because  the  Bible, 
or  record  of  this  faith,  says  nothing  distinct  or 
authoritative  on  the  subject.  The  Apostle  Paul 
enjoined  the  very  opposite  of  this  earnest  contend- 
ing in  the  question  of  meats  and  days,  for  his"was 
an  earnest  persuasion  to  mutual  forbearance,  and 
this,  that  the  men  who  differed  in  these  matters 
might  continue  members' of  the  same  Church,  and 
recognize  each  other  as  disciples  of  one  and  the 
same  faith. 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHBISTIAJf  UNION. 


CHRISTIAN  FELLOWSHIP. 

'  One  sole  baptismal  sign, 

One  Lord,  below,  above — 
Zion,  one  faith  is  thine, 

One- only  watchword — Love. 
From  different  temples  thout^h  it  rise, 
One  song  ascendeth  to  the  skies. 

'  Our  sacrifice  is  one  ; 

One  priest  before  the  throne — 
The  slain,  the  risen  Son, 

Redeemer,  Lord  alone  ! 
And  sighs  from  contrite  hearts  that  spring, 
Our  chief,  our  choicest  offering. 

'  Oh,  why  should  they  who  lovo 

One  Gospel  to  unfold, 
Wlio  seek  one  home  above, 

On  earth  be  strange  and  cold  ? 
Why,  subjects  of  the  Prince  of  Peace, 
In  strife  abide,  and  bitterness  ? 

'  Oh,  may  that  holy  prayer, 

His  tendcrest  and  His  last, 
His  constant,  latest  care, 

Ere  to  His  throne  He  passed,— 
No  longer  unfuHilled  remain, 
The  world's  ollencc,  His  people's  stain. 


68 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


"  Head  of  the  Church  beneath, 

The  catholic — the  ti'ue — 
On  all  her  members  breathe — 

Her  broken  frame  renew  ! 
Then  shall  Thy  perfect  will  be  done, 
When  Christians  love  and  live  as  one." 


Reasons  for  Phristian  JJnion. 

The  people  of  God  were  originally  one.  "  The  • 
multitude  of  them  thai  believed  were  of  one  heart 
and  of  one  soul."  (Acts  iv.  32.)  Their  bond  of 
union  was  the  "one  faith."  They  were  united  by 
the  belief,  appreciation,  and  avowal  of  common 
principles,  by  a  common  sense  of  sin  and  guilt,  of 
unworthiness  and  obligation  to  mercy ;  by  their 
concentration  of  their  affections  on  a  common 
object  of  attachment,  whose  "  name  was,"  to  each 
and  to  all  of  them,  "  as  ointment  poured  forth ;  " 
by  subjection  to  one  Master ;  by  similarity  of 
character,  the  same  faith  inspiring  the  same  dis- 
positions ;  by  common  objects  of  desire  and  pur- 
suit, such  as  all  might  obtain  and  enjoy,  not  only 


A  PLEA  FOR  GEBISTIAN  UNION.  69 


without  interference  and  without  jealousy,  but 
with  reciprocal  augmentation  .of  each  other's  ac- 
quisitions ;  by  a  common  feeling  of  dependence  and 
of  obligation,  and  the  united  expression  of  it  at 
the  throne  of  a  common  Father ;  and  by  common 
dangers,  common  privileges,  common  sufferings, 
common  honors,  and  common  hopes.  "  For  some 
ages,"  says  Robert  Hall,  "the  object  of  the 
Saviour's  prayer  (John  xvii.  20,  21,)  was  realized, 
in  the  harmony  which  prevailed  among  Christians, 
whose  religion  was  a  bond  of  Union  more  strict 
and  tender  than  the  ties  of  consanguinitj'' ;  and  with 
the  appellation  of  brethren,  they  associated  all  the 
sentiments  of  endeai-ment  that  relation  implied." 

Let  us  prayerfully  ponder  the  reasons  why 
Union  should  be  restored. 

I.  The  Church  owes  its  existence  enlirehj  to  Infinite 
Love. 

If,  like  many  an  earthly  kingdom  and  institution, 
the  Church  had  originated  in  strife,  in  strife  it 
might  have  been  maintained ;  but  it  is  the  pure 
creation  of  love.  If  it  be  true  tliat  in  God  we 
live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being,  if  as  men,  we 
inhabit  Ilia  infinite  essence,  it  is  true  that,  as 


70  THE  AOE-QUESTION ;  OB, 

Christians,  Tve  inhabit  His  very  heart,  dwell  in 
His  love.  It  is  to  this  fact  the  Apostle  alludes 
when  he  would  have  us  to  comprehend  with  all 
saints  the  fourfold  dimensions  of  the  love  of  God. 
Material  substances  have  only  three  dimensions, 
but  the  Church,  having  for  its  temple  the  heart  of 
God,  is  to  search  for  the  circumference  in  all  direc- 
tions round,  and  be  lost  in  the  love  which  "  passeth 
knowledge."  The  Church  is  the  institution  of 
love  ;  should  it  be  made  the  scene  of  hatred  ?  It 
stands  in  the  heart  of  God  ;  should  it  be  filled  with 
malevolence  ?  What  should  we  have  thought  of 
the  disciples,  had  they  audibly  quarrelled  on  Cal- 
vary, and  in  the  hearing  of" their  dj'ing  Lord? 
And  yet  all  our  contentions  are  conducted  in  the 
presence  of  the  love  which  led  Him  there  1  Is  not 
this  crucifying  Him  afresh  ? 


II.  In  the  best  and  purest  Age,  the  Church  was 
One. 

It  was  "  one  fold  under  one  Shepherd."  Let  us 
look  at  this  point  a  little  more  particularly.  It  is 
true  that,  at  the  beginning,  there  were  a  great  num- 
ber of  Churches,  but  each  was  distinguished  by 
a  name  descriptive  of  its  locality.    There  was  a 


A  PLEA  FOE  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  71 


Church  of  Jerusalem,  of  Antioch,  of  Ephesus,  of 
Smyrna,  of  Corinth,  and  of  Rome,  besides  many- 
others.  There  was  not  a  Church  consisting  of  the 
followers  and  defenders  in  doctrine  of  Paul,  and 
another  of  those  of  John,  and  another  of  those 
of  Peter.  There  were  then  no  such  sects  as  Luther- 
ans, Calvinists,  and  Weslej^ans,  nor  such  names 
as  Congregationalist,  Presbyterian,  Methodist, 
Episcopalian,  or  Baptist.  Agreement  in  funda- 
mentals was  the  only  doctrinal  unity  then  de- 
manded, and  the  united  band  of  Christ's  discii^les, 
assembled  around  the  same  table,  declared  by 
their  actions,  "  we,  being  many,  are  one  bread  and 
one  body,  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one 
bread."  Chridians  was  their  grand  distinctive 
name.  Among  themselves,  indeed,  they  were 
called  "brethren,"  (Acts  xxviii.  13,  14,)  and  "be- 
lievers," (Acts  V.  14.)  They  were  also  denominated 
"disciples,"  (Acts  xxi.  16.)  And  by  their  enemies, 
by  way  of  contempt,  they  were  styled  "  Naz'a- 
renes,"  (Acts  xxiv.  5,)  and  "men  of  this  way," 
(Acts  xxii.  4  )  But  Christians,  the  name  given 
to  them  first  at  Antioch,  (Acts  ix.  26,)  was  their 
nsual  denomination,  and  the  original  word  by 
which  tliey  arc  said  to  have  been  "  called  "  Chris- 
tians, implies  that  this  name,  whether  assumed  by 


TO  TEE  AQE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


themselves,  or  applied  by  their  friends  or  their 
enemies,  was  still  given  by  Divine  appointment. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  no  one  of 
the  Apostles,  or  their  feUow-laborers,  established 
any  sects  in  the  Christian  Church.  The  bare  sup- 
position of  the  contrary  is  absurd  and  revolting  to 
every  mind  acquainted  with  the  inspired  record. 
Yet,  what  ample  ground  was  there  for  such  a 
course,  if  it  had  been  regarded  lawful?  There 
was,  as  already  remarked,  difference  of  opinion 
among  the  Apostles,  and  difference  among  the 
first  Chi-istians  ;  but  neither  was  regarded  as  a 
cause  for  schism  or  division  in  the  Church.  Paul 
differed  from  Peter,  and  disapproved  of  his  con- 
duct so  much  that,  he  says,  "  at  Antioch  I  with- 
stood him  to  the  face,  for  he  was  to  be  blamed," 
(Gal.  ii.  11-14,)  y&t  neither  of  them  dreamed  of 
forming  a  sect  for  the  defence  and  propagation  of 
his  distinctive  views.  Paul  and  Barnabas  differed 
about  their  arrangements  for  missionary  opera- 
tions, and,  when  the  contentions  grew  sharp,  each 
took  as  fellow-laborers  those  whom  he  preferred, 
and  thus  prosecuted  the  work ;  but  it  never 
entered  into  their  minds  to  form  different  sects  in 
the  Church. 

So  far,  indeed,  were  the  Apostles  from  forming 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


73 


sects,  that  they  firmly  resisted  the  introduction  of 
different  denominations.  Take,  as  an  example, 
the  Church  in  the  wealthy  and  corrupt  city  of 
Corinth,  which  had  been  planted  by  Paul,  watered 
by  the  eloquent  ApoUos,  and  blessed  by  Him  from 
whom  alone  can  come  any  genuine  increase.  In 
this  Church,  it  seems,  there  appeared  symptoms  of 
the  spirit  of  sectarianism.  The  Corinthian  breth- 
ren had  long  been  familiar  with  the  several  sects 
of  heathen  philosophers  and  religionists,  and,  by 
a  natural  transition,  were  led  to  array  themselves 
into  parties  according  to  some  religious  differences 
which  arose  among  them.  Some  said,  "I  am  of 
Paul,"  probably  because  he  first  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  the  Corinthian  Church,  (1  Cor.  i.  10;) 
others  said,  "  I  am  of  ApoUos,"  perhaps  on  ac- 
count of  his  superior  eloquence ;  and  others  said, 
"  I  am  of  Cephas,"  either  because,  like  Peter,  they 
cherished  Jewish  predilections,  or  were  converted 
by  him  elsewhere.  Here,  then,  was  an  attempt  to 
introduce  different  sects  or  religious  denominations 
into  the  Church  of  Christ,  ranged  under  dillerent 
leaders,  such  as  Paul,  ApoUos,  Peter,  Luther, 
Calvin,  Zuingli,  or  Wesley;  and  does  the  Apostle 
approve  of  such  a  course  ?  Let  us  hear  his  own 
words:  "Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the 


74 


THE  AOE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


name  of  om*  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  (by  the  hope 
you  cherish  through  Him,  by  His  sufferings,  by 
His  blood,)  I  beseech  you,  "  that  ye  all  speak  the 
same  thing,  and  that  there  be  no  divisions"  or 
sects  "  among  you,  but  that  you  be  perfectly 
joined  together  in  the  same  mind  and  in  the 
same  judgment.  For  it  hath  been  declared 
unto  me  of  you,  my  brethren,  by  them  which 
are  of  the  house  of  Chloe,  that  there  are 
contentions  among  you :  now  this  I  say,  that 
every  one  of  j^ou  saith,  '  I  am  of  Paul,'  (he  is 
my  leader,)  '  and  I  of  Apollos,  and  I  of  Cephas, 
and  I  of  Christ.'  Is  Christ"  (i.  e.,  the  body  of 
Christ)  "  divided  ?  Was  Paul"  (or  either  of  those 
whose  names  ye  assume,  and  whom  ye  wish  to 
place  at  the  side  of  Christ  as  leaders  or  heads  of 
the  Church)  "crucified  for  you?  Or  were  ye 
baptized  in  the  name  of  Paul,"  or  of  Apollos,  or 
of  Peter,  so  that  j-e  were  received  into  their 
"  church,  and  not  into  the  Church  of  Christ  ?  "I 
thank  God  "  (since  ye  thus  abuse  the  privilege  of 
being  baptized)  "  that  I  baptized  none  of  you 
but  Crispus"  (the  ruler  of  the  synagogue)  "  and 
Gains,  (whose  hospitality  I  cnjoj'ed  whilst  at 
Corinth ;)  so  that  ye  cannot,  with  any  semblance 
of  truth,  aUege  that  I  baptized  you  in  my  o^vn 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHBISTIAN  UNION.  75 


name,  and  thus  formed  a  peculiar  sect  of  Chris- 
tians." Now,  in  this  powerful  and  decided  testi- 
mony of  Paul  against  the  spirit  of  sectarianism, 
it  will  be  observed  that  he  does  not  even  introduce 
into  his  argument  the  points  of  diversity  among 
the  people,  on  account  of  which  they  were  arraying 
themselves  into  different  parties.  The  simple 
facts  that  they  were  baptized  into  Christ,  and 
into  Christ  alone,  i.  e.,  were  members  of  the  Church 
in  good  standing,  and  that  Christ  must  not  be 
divided,  are  the  only  arguments  which  he  deems 
requisite  to  prove  the  imjiropricty  of  their  divisions 
and  of  their  assumption  of  different  names.  He 
would  have  them  Christians,  and  nothing  but  Chris- 
tians, not  Pauline  Christians,  nor  ApoUihe,  nor  Ce- 
phinc,  nor  Lutheran,  nor  Calvinistic,  nor  Wcsle^-an 
Christians,  not  because  he  had  any  antipathy  to 
ApoUos  or  Peter,  but  because  any  such  divisions, 
based  on  difference  of  opinions  or  personal  attach- 
ments, naturally  tended  to  rend  asunder  the  body 
of  Christ. 

Let  it  not  be  forgotten,  then,  that  unity  is  an  im- 
portant characteristic  of  the  Church.  God,  her 
God,  is  one,  Christ,  her  Redeemer,  is  one,  the  Holy 
Spirit,  her  Sanctifior,  is  one,  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
the  rule  of  her  faith,  and  worship,  and  obedience, 


76 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


are  one,  the  faitli  of  her  true  members  is  one  pre- 
cious faith,  and  their  privileges,  interests,  objects, 
and  destination,  are  one.  The  Sci'iptural  repre- 
sentations of  the  Church  confirm  this  view  of  the 
Church's  unity.  The  Church  is  one  "  vinej'ard," 
one  "flock,"  one  "body,"  one  "spouse,"  one 
"family."  When  spoken  of  as  the  object  of  the 
Saviour's  love,  as  the  subject  of  redemption,  as 
the  recipient  of  gifts  and  offices,  she  is  spoken  of 
as  "the  Church."  (Eph.  v.  25.)  Almost  all  the 
comparisons  just  mentioned,  suggest  the  idea  of 
oneness,  or  of  unity  in  contradistinction  to  plu- 
rality. There  is  and  can  be  but  one  Church,  even 
as  there  is  but  one  Head  of  the  Church.  The  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  came  "  to  gather  together  in  one  all 
things  in  Himself,  both  which  are  in  heaven,  and 
which  are  in  earth,  even  in  Him."  He  is  the  one 
Head  of  which  all  believers  are  the  members,  the 
one  Vine  of  which  they  are  the  branches,  and  thus 
all  are  members  one  of  anotlier.  And  not  only  is 
unity  represented  as  an  essential  attribute  of  the 
Church,  but  any  schism  or  division  in  it  is  spoken 
of  as  a  thing  not  less  unnatural  and  unsightly 
than  Avould  be  the  spectacle  presented  by  the 
human  body,  if  its  organs  were  in  a  state  of  dis- 
cord, if  the  eye  were  to  say  to  the  hand,  "  I  have 


A  PLEA  FOR  CnBISTIAN  UNIOlf. 


77 


no  need  of  thee or  the  head  to  the  feet,  "  I  have 
no  need  of  you."  "  There  is,"  says  the  Apostle, 
"  one  body,  and  one  Spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called 
in  one  hope  of  your  calling :  one  Lord,  one  faith, 
one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is 
above  all,  and  through  all,  and  ui  you  all." 

III.  There  is  much  in  the  origin  and  history  of 
our  religious  sy interns,  to  warrant  a  strong  pre- 
sumption that  they  are  all  mure  or  le^s  defective 
and  faulty. 

It  is,  beyond  question,  right  for  ever}'^  one  to 
consider  his  own  Church  the  best,  whether  for 
doctrine,  polity,  or  efficiency.  Where  there  is 
difference,  there  must  be  preference.  It  is,  how- 
ever, a  very  different  thing  for  any  to  pretend  that 
their  section  of  the  Church  includes  all  truth,  and 
nothing  but  truth,  while  all  others  are  entirely 
wrong.  Nor  can  such  a  position  be  maintained. 
What  authority  can  the  Presbyterian  Church,  or 
Lutheran,  or  Episcopal,  or  Congregationalist,  or 
Baptist,  or  Methodist,  show  to  support  a  claim  to 
the  exclusive  possession  of  the  truth?  All  intelli- 
gent persons  know  that  in  ecclesiastical  history 
heresy  has  never  ceased  to  exert  a  mighty  influence 

on  the  spirit  and  complexion  of  orthodoxy.  The 
7* 


THE  AOE-qUESTIONj  OB, 


condition  of  the  Cliui'ch  has  never  been  a  condi- 
tion favorable  to  a  calm  and  equal  development 
of  truth.  Her  position  has  always  been  that  of  a 
Church  militant.  Her  course  has  resulted  less 
from  choice  than  from  necessity.  The  present 
foe  has  dictated  the  present  policy.  Hence  her 
creed,  her  worship,  her  discipline — all  have  been 
powerfully  affected  by  the  errors  and  evils  against 
which  she  has  been  summoned  to  contend.  Her 
great  labor  through  a  long  series  of  ages  was,  to 
demolish  real  or  supposed  error,  rather  than  to 
diffuse  truth  ;  to  humble  some  rival  pretension, 
rather  than  to  assign  just  limits  to  her  own.  On 
all  her  dogmas  and  institutes  we  trace  the  effects 
of  the  hot  wars  through  which  she  has  passed. 
Gnostics,  Manicheans,  Pelagians,  Arians,  Dona- 
tists,  and  multitudes  beside,  all  pressed  tlieir  dis- 
turbing forces  on  her  path,  and  either  effected  an 
infusion  of  their  errors  into  her  creed,  or  taught 
her  to  push  the  truth  opposed  to  such  errors  so 
far  as  to  cause  even  ti  uth  to  become  error.  That 
such  was  the  history  of  the  Church  prior  to  the 
age  of  Luther,  it  would  be  easy  to  demonstrate. 
It  was  a  dark  and  troubled  sea  over  which  she 
had  then  passed.  Her  system,  her  ver}'^  soul,  had 
been  wrought  up  by  the  antagonism  of  ages ! 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


79 


Surely,  then,  it  is  not  in  an  adjustment  of  things 
so  derived  that  we  can  expect  to  find  unmixed 
truth,  nor  can  we  expect  to  see  the  truth  thus 
really  transmitted  to  us  in  any  thing  like  its 
natural  developmant  and  symmetry. 

Neither  has  the  complexion  of  affairs,  since  the 
age  of  Luther,  been  such  as  to  justify  unhesitating 
confidence  in  every  part  of  the  ecclesiastical  sys- 
tems which  have  since  become  prevalent.  Look, 
says  an  English  writer,  at  the  Church  of  England, 
for  example — she  owes  her  first  severance  from 
Rome  to  one  of  the  most  wicked  of  England's 
kings,  and  the  good,  proceeding  from  such  a 
source,  could  hardly  have  been  immaculate.  Her 
course  during  a  long  interval  M  as  greatly  disturbed 
and  modified  by  the  action  of  her  adversaries — 
Romanism  on  the  one  hand,  and  Puritanism  on 
the  other.  At  the  Restoration,  the  memory  of 
her  recent  sufferings  disqualified  her  for  making 
that  final  adjustment  of  her  aflTairs  a  wise  adjust- 
ment. In  her  present  state,  we  see  the  result, 
not  so  much  of  a  calm  wisdom  and  piety  within, 
as  of  the  alternate  triumphs  and  defeats  of  the  an- 
tagonism with  which  she  has  ever  been  beset  from 
without.  Contention,  so  long  and  so  bitter  with 
parties,  could  not  have  been  favorable  to  impar- 


80  THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OR, 

tiality.  This  strong  solicitude,  now  to  be  unlike 
Eomanism,  and  now  to  be  unlike  Puritanism,  was 
hardly  compatible  with  an  unbiassed  wish  to  be 
like  the  truth.  We  do  not  saj  that  truth  may  not 
come  forth  from  such  struggles,  but  we  say  that 
the  probability  is  that  it  will  not  come  alone,  and 
that  even  truth,  so  transmitted,  will  be  imperfect, 
disproportioned,  distorted. 

Then  look  at  Non-conformity,  as  an  example  on 
the  other  side.  It  was  cradled  in  persecution,  it 
grew  up  as  in  defiance  of  power.  On  the  religious 
system  which  that  persecuting  power  was  disi^osed 
to  patronize  and  enrich,  Non-conformists  could 
not  fail  to  look  with  disaffection.  Hence  the  dan- 
ger on  this  side  was  the  same  in  its  nature  as 
upon  the  other,  consisting  in  a  tendency  to  regard 
the  unlikeness  to  the  things  belonging  to  the 
Church  of  England  as  being  very  much  the  same 
thing  with  likeness  to  what  a  true  Church  should 
be.  The  vocation  of  the  Non-conformist  has  been, 
not  to  rule,  but  to  witness,  to  protest ;  and  the 
thing  to  be  feared  in  respect  to  him  has  been,  lest, 
in  protesting  against  the  alleged  errors  of  the 
system  to  which  he  has  been  oi:)i)Oscd,  he  should 
protest  away  a  large  portion  of  his  own  truth. 
That  such  has  been  the  case,  can  scarcely  be 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  81 

• 

doubted.  Methodism  rose  as  a  great  reaction 
against  Formalism,  ,  and  the  character  of  the  times 
in  which  it  originated  is  clearly  discernible  in  its 
sj^irit,  politj"  and  history. 

The  presumption  established  by  the  examples 
given,  and  others  wliich  might  be  adduced,  is  con- 
firmed by  the  experience  and  testimony  of  men  of 
sense  and  candor.  Such  men,  though  having  their 
connection  with  one  communion  of  Christians, 
and  not  with  others,  from  conscientious  preference, 
j-et  are  not  of  that  particular  communion  as  ex- 
hibiting tfie  one  perfect  system,  all  the  rest  being 
imperfect,  but  simply  on  the  ground  of  its  being, 
in  their  view,  ui^on  the  whole,  the  most  Christian. 
A  system  may  be  admitted  to  be  not  a  little  faulty, 
while  the  good  in  it  may  be  regarded  as  greatly 
preponderating  over  the  evil,  and  as  being  much 
greater  than  would  be  found  in  any  other,  and  a 
man  may  deem  this  reason  sufficient  to  justify 
him  in  choosing  such  a  connection,  or  in  retaining 
it  when  chosen.  We  suppose  that  something  like 
this  is  the  position  of  most,  if  not  all,  thinking 
and  honest  men.  Of  course  we  do  not  say  that 
men  are  at  lilierty  to  conform  to  any  tiling  im- 
moral, or  to  consent  to  the  placing  of  any  c.s.sen- 
iial  truth  of  the  Gospel  in  abeyance,  as  a  prelimi- 


83  TEE  AOE-QUESTION ;  OB, 

• 

nary  step  to  Christian  communion.  That  would 
be  to  do  evil  that  good  may  come.  All  we  mean 
to  say  is,  that  men  of  thought  see  our  best  systems 
as  imperfect  and  faulty,  and  this  fact,  in  our 
judgment,  should  tell  most  favorably  on  the  ques- 
tion of  Christian  Union. 

IV.  Want  of  Union  is  a  departure  from  the  original 
spirit  of  the  Reformers. 

At  the  date  of  the  Reformation,  when  the  Papal 
system  itself  appeared,  for  a  time,  in  danger  of 
dissolution,  from  the  very  rust  and  canker  of  its 
inherent  rottenness  and  corruption,  a  reviving  im- 
pulse from  above  gave  occasion  to  a  counter-reac- 
tion from  beneath,  and  the  heavenly  union,  which 
followed  the  memorable  day  of  Pentecost,  but  was 
so  soon,  alas  !  marred  by  partj'^  spirit  and  secta- 
rianism, manifested  itself  anew,  in  the  fresh  burst- 
ing forth  of  the  pure  and  free  Gospel  among  the 
nations.  At  the  beginning  the  Reformers  were 
all  of  one  mind,  and  a  blessed  harmony  reigned 
throughout  all  the  company  of  the  faithful.  Every- 
where, and  by  all,  the  same  truth  was  proclaimed 
— the  truth  which  Luther  caught  or  inherited, 
through  Augustine,  from  Paul ;  and  the  llrcs  of 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  83 


persecution  in  Germany  and  Britain,  as  well  as  in 
Italy,  France,  and  Spain,  were  all  kindled  at  the 
same  anti-Christian  shrine,  against  which,  with  one 
voice,  they  cried ;  even  as  it  was  the  same  live 
coal  from  off  the  altar,  which  purged  alike  the  lips 
of  all  the  holy  martyrs.  It  was  surely  a  union 
and  unit}'  from  God.  And  because  it  was  so,  it 
was  not  long  unbroken  in  the  hands  of  men. 
Errors,  heresies,  strifes,  divisions,  jealousies  un- 
numbered, and  misunderstandings  manifold, 
speedily  interfered  to  blast  the  fair  promise  of 
that  happy  springtime,  and  the  captives  emanci- 
pated from  Roman  tyranny,  whom  the  common 
rapture  and  surprise  of  their  first  deliverance  had 
kept  together — singing  the  same  new  song — struck, 
ere  long,  discordant  notes,  and  parted  into  the 
many  bands  in  which  they  now  are  found.  Shall 
these  discordant  notes  and  sad  divisions  be  per- 
petuated ? 

•« 

Y.  In  many  of  the  lines  of  demarcation  which  sepa- 
rate into  different  folds  the  one  flock  of  Jesus 
Christ,  there  is  really  nothing  to  prevent  Union. 

From  the  very  beginning  almost,  the  Church 
has  been  divided  by  philosophical  speculations 


84 


THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


about  Christian  doctrine,  when  it  has  been  united 
as  to  the  doctrine  itself.  Her  divisions,  moreover, 
have  been  perpetuated  by  the  stress  which  has 
been  laid  on  confessedly  secondary  points,  and  the 
prominence  given  to  them  over  those  which  are 
primar3\  Her  differences  have  too  often  relifted, 
not  to  any  of  the  essentials  of  faith  and  practice, 
but  to  some  minor  and  comparatively  unimportant 
points,  which  seem  to  have  very  little  to  do  with 
the  vitality  and  efficiency  of  the  truth.  If  we  look 
narrowly  at  existing  diversities,  we  shall  discover 
that  they  do  not  relate  to  the  great  essential  facts 
or  doctrines  of  Christianity,  but  rather  to  the 
philosophy  of  those  facts,  or  the  metaph3-sics  of 
those  doctrines,  or  perhaps  to  certain  forms  and 
modes,  which  are  never  supposed  by  those  who 
insist  ujion  or  oppose  them,  to  be  parts  of  vital 
religion,  however  much  on  the  one  hand  the}'  may 
be  valued  as  important,  or  on  the  other  condemned 
as  useless  or  hurtful  in  their  tendency.  There  is 
a  vast  difference  between  Christianity  and  the 
philosophy  of  Christianitj^ ;  between  the  facts  and 
doctrines  of  religion,  and  the  philosophy  of  those 
fiicts  and  doctrines.  It  is  not  a  man's  theory  of 
cause  and  effect  which  produces  an  explosion, 
when  he  applies  a  lighted  match  to  a  cask  of  gun- 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHBISTIAN  UNION.  85 


powder,  and  it  is  not  a  man's  phUosophy  of  reli- 
gion which  produces  the  effect  of  the  Gospel,  when 
he  applies  the  truths  of  Christianity  to  the  con- 
sciesce  and  the  heart. 

Just  here  the  truth  deserves  attention,  that  the 
power  of  the  Gospel  to  accomplish  its  picrposes,  lies 
in  those  principles  and  facts,  in  reference  to  which 
all  evangelical  Christians  are  agreed,  and  not  in 
those  upon  which  they  differ.  The  proof  of  this  is 
found  in  the  fact  that  Christian  experience  and 
dialect  are  everyAvhere  the  same.  The  spiritual 
disciples  of  the  Son  of  God,  whether  found  amid 
the  wilds  of  Africa,  or  the  jungles  of  Asia,  amid 
the  scenes  and  associations  of  European  or  Ameri- 
can refinement,  amid  all  the  varieties  of  physical 
frame,  complexion  and  temperament,  however  di- 
verse may  have  been  their  outward  circumstances, 
^ud  their  early  training,  however  opposed  to 
each  other  may  be  their  mental  habits,  j'et  in  the 
controlling  moral  attributes  of  character  they  are 
alike — subjects  of  the  same  experience,  produced 
b}'  a  reception  of  the  same  caixlinal  truths,  living 
under  the  same  spiritual  influences,  governed  by 
the  same  laws,  and  cherishing  the  same  inunortal 
hopes — they  pre  all  "  one  in  Christ  Jesus." 

Well  would  it  be  for  Christians  to  endeavor  fre 


86  THE  AGE-QUESTIOX ;  OR, 


qiiently  to  place  a  clue  estimate  on  the  incom- 
parable superiorit}-  of  those  points  of  doctrine  in 
■which  they  are  agreed  over  those  on  which  they 
differ,  connecting  with  this  a  disposition  to  make 
the  former,  rather  than  the  latter,  the  topics  of 
their  habitual  and  delighted  reflection.  We 
hold  Lq  common,  truths  of  such  surpassing  mag- 
nitude, that  our  distinctive  peculiarities  dwindle 
down  before  them  to  almost  invisible  points. 
TVhen  gazing  upon  the  Cross  of  Christ,  the  ampli- 
tude of  the  covenants  of  grace,  the  method  of  jus- 
tification, the  work  of  the  Spirit,  the  common  adop- 
tion here,  and  the  common  glorification  hereafter, 
we  should  feel,  in  regard  to  our  distinctions,  pretty 
much  as  the  co-heirs  of  an  immense  estate  which 
was  bounded  hy  the  Alps,  and  was  situated  on 
their  lovely  slopes,  would  of  the  different  heights 
and  accommodations  of  their  respective  dwellings, 
or  as  travellers  who  were  looking  at  the  p5Tamids 
would  of  the  different  heights  of  the  little  eminences 
from  which  they  viewed  those  stupendous  masses. 
Give  to  Church  government  all  the  importance  that 
can  be  desired  for  it,  and  to  the  different  opinions 
entertained  of  the  subjects  and  mode  of  baptism 
all  the  value  that  belongs  to  them — and  it  ma3-  be 
admitted  that  this  is  not  small — still,  what  are 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


87 


they  as  compared  ■with  the  method  of  our  justifica- 
tion and  the  means  of  our  sanctification  ?  If  it  be 
necessar}-  to  multiply  comparisons,  and  it  be  law- 
ful to  compare  the  doctrines  and  discipline  of 
Christianity  to  Nebuchadnezzar's  image  in  his 
dream,  would  not  the  former  appear  as  the  head 
of  gold  and  the  breast  of  silver,  while  the  latter 
would  seem  but  as  the  legs  and  feet  of  iron  and 
clay?  This  leads  us  to  remark  more  definitely 
and  specifically,  that 


VI.  Union  is  Practicable  without  the  sacrifice  of 
any  essential  Truth. 

This  is  evident  from  the  experience  of  foreign 
missionaries,  who  have  very  (generally  found,  that, 
while  engaged  in  the  work  of  Christianizing  the 
heathen,  their  denonunational  differences  were 
forgotten.  It  has  been  the  testimony,  we  believe, 
of  the  most  devoted  among  these  laborers,  that 
througliout  the  whole  process  of  conducting  an 
idolater  or  a  savage  from  his  state  of  incipient 
rudeness  to  the  eve  of  his  baptism,  these  differences 
never  once  came  into  view,  or  at  least  were  never 
practically  called  for  as  being  of  any  use  or  neces- 
sity in  the  operation.    This-  we  hokl  to  be  a  most 


88 


THE  AGE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


instructive  fiuding.  If,  in  the  work  of  Christian- 
izing men,  there  are  certain  denominational  differ- 
ences which  might  all  the  while  be  set  aside  as  of 
no  practical  importance,  can  these  differences  be- 
long to  the  essence  of  Christianity  ? 

The  truth  is,  that  all  God's  people  agree  in  every 
thing  that  is  essential  to  gcnuiue,  saving  Chris- 
tianity. They  all  believe  in  the  unity  of  the  God- 
bead,  and  in  the  divinity  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost.  They  believe  that  God,  who  is  possessed 
of  every  perfection,  was  the  Almigiitj'  Maker  of 
heaven  and  of  earth  ;  that  man  was  created  holy  ; 
that  he  sinned  against  God,  the  moral  Governor  of 
the  world,  and  fell  from  his  primitive  condition ; 
that  the  whole  human  race  was  involved  in  this 
apostasy;  that  they  are  now  weak,  polluted,  and 
guilty,  and  liable  to  death ;  that  an  atonement 
was  necessar}^  to  vindicate  the  moral  government 
of  God  before  sin  could  be  pardoned ;  that  salva- 
tion is  of  grace,  and  that  Jesus  was  both  God 
and  man,  voluntarily  became  inca'-nate,  and  made 
the  necessary  atonement  by  His  humiliation,  suf- 
ferings, and  death ;  thp.t  He  rose  from  the  dead, 
ascended  to  heaven,  and  sits  enthroned  to  give 
rei^entauce  to  Israel,  and  tlic  remission  of  sins; 
that  He  sent  the  Comforter,  the  Holy  Ghost,  to 


A  PLEA  FOE  CHBISTIAN  UNION.  89 


operate  upon  the  soul  "by  the  Word  read  and 
preached  ;  that  He  enables  men  to  repent  and 
believe  the  Gospel ;  that  whosoever  believes  in 
Christ  for  salvation  is  pardoned,  and  justified, 
not  for  his  work's  sake,  but  for  Christ's  sake, 
and  yet  not  by  that  faith  in  Christ  which  is  alone 
without  works,  for  faith  works  by  love,  and  purifies 
the  heart;  that  he  is  renewed  as  to  his  motives 
and  principles  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  that  he  acts 
thenceforth  under  the  light  of  revelation,  making 
progress  in  holiness  by  the  assistance  of  Divine 
grace.  'Besides,  all  are  firmly  i^ersuadcd  of  the 
happy  death  of  the  believer,  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead,  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  the  uni- 
versal judgment,  when  Christ  shall  judge  the  quick 
and  the  dead,  a  state  of  eternal  happiness  for  the 
saved,  and  of  misery  for  the  lost,  after  the  fixing 
of  which  Christ  sluiil  deliver  up  llis  kingdom  as 
Mediator  into  the  hand  of  God. 

As  to  the  external  constitution  and  internal 
arrangements  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  there  are 
also  many  points,  and  these  by  far  the  most  im- 
portant, in  whicli  they  are  agreed.  All  of  them 
hold  that  Christ  is  the  Supreme  Head  of  Ilis 
Church,  and  that  every  doctrine,  law,  and  institu- 
tion must  have  His  sanction  before  it  can  be  binding 
8* 


90  THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


upon  the  conscience ;  that  He  has  appointed  the 
ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Day,  Baptism,  the  Lord's 
Supper,  i^raise,  prayer,  and  preaching  the  word ; 
that  he  has  instituted  oflBce-bearers  in  His  house, 
for  dispensing  religious  ordinances,  exercising  dis- 
cipline, and  attending  to  the  poor ;  tliat  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  of  Christ  are  visible  saints, 
who  ought  to  love  each  other,  and  do  good,  and 
that,  if  anjr  openly  throw  off  their  Christian  pro- 
fession and  return  to  the  world,  they  ought  to  be 
excluded  from  the  communion  of  the  faithful. 

In  these  esse'ntial  matters  all  evangelical  Chris- 
tians are  agreed,  and  their  peculiarities  are  of  such 
a  secondary  nature  that  they  very  seldom  appear 
in  the  discourses  of  their  ministers.  A  reader  of  a 
volume  of  their  sermons  requires  to  turn  to  the 
title  page  to  learn  whether  the  writer  is  an  Epis- 
copalian, a  Congregationalist,  a  Lutheran,  Seced-ei-, 
or  Presbyterian.  The  same  Gospel,  in  its  great 
general  outlines,  is  taught  by  all.  It  is  a  common 
acknowledgment,  indeed,  among  all  evangelical 
Churches,  that  the  secondary  matters  on  which 
they  differ  do  not  touch  the  great  principles  of 
Christianity,  and  that  a  person  ma}'  conscien- 
tiously belong  to  any  one  of  the  evangelical  de- 
nominations ami  still  be  a  Christian.  They  labor 
together  at  times  as  professed  Christians  in  Bible, 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UJVIOj^.  91 


Missionary,  and  Tract  societies,  and,  wliile  stand- 
ing ou  tlie  same  platform,  they  call  each  other 
brethren.  Just  in  proportion  as  preachers  merge 
their  peculiarities,  are  they  esteemed  Scrip- 
tural and  useful.  An  evangelical  Episcopalian, 
or  Presbyterian,  or  Methodist,  or  Baptist,  who 
appears  in  the  pulpit,  bristling  all  over  with  his 
own  peculiarities,  is,  amongst  all  spiritually-minded 
Christians,  considered  a  bigot,  who  preaches  for 
sectarian  purposes,  not  to  win  souls.  It  is  the 
pastor  who  studies  the  Bible,  and  takes  his  simple 
theological  sentiments,  without  philosophy,  from 
the  Word  of  God — who  plies  the  understanding 
and  conscience  with  every  Scriptural  motive  that 
has  a  tendency  to  lead  to  faith  and  repentance, 
and  who  encourages  the  weak  by  the  exhibition 
of  promised  aid,  and  consoles  the  sorrowful  with 
the  great  and  precious  promises  of  the  Gospel — 
that  is  considered  "  a  workman  that  necdeth  not 
to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  life." 
Every  minister  who  wishes  to  be  popular,  in  the 
best  sense  of  the  term,  puts  on  a  catholic  spirit, 
and  at  least  pretends  not  to  preach  his  party,  but 
Christ  and  the  common  salvation.  Homage  is 
thus  paid  to  the  broad  lineaments  of  Scrijiture,  and 
the  wire-drawn  speculations  of  schismatics  are  cast 
into  the  shade. 


92 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


VII.  Sectarian  Divisions  tend  to  destroy  commvnify 
of  interest  and  sympathy  of  feeling  among 
Christians. 

How  fervently  does  our  blessed  Lord  supplicate 
for  the  unit}'  of  all  his  followers  I  "  Neither  pray 
I  for  these  (the  Apostles)  alone,  but  for  them  also 
who  shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word,  that 
they  all  may.be  one,  as  Thou,  Father,  art  in  me, 
and  I  in  Tiiee," — that  there  may  be  among  them 
that  unity  of  counsel,  of  feeling,  of  purpose,  of 
action,  that  very  oneness  which  exists  between  the 
Father  and  the  Son.  And  Paul  informs  us  that 
there  should  be  no  schism  in  the  body,  but  that 
the  members  should  have  the  same  care  one  for 
another ;  and  if  one  member  suffer,  all  the  members 
suffer  witli  it ;  or  if  one  member  be  honored,  all 
the  members  rejoice  with  it.  (1  Cor.  sii.  25.) 
But  is  not  directly  the  reverse  of  this  but  too  fre- 
quently witnessed?  Does  not  the  great  mass  of 
the  several  religious  denominati'>ns  of  our  laud 
exiiibit  any  thing  else  than  the  "same  care"  for 
the  other  members  of  Christ's  body  ?  If  one  de- 
nomination suffers,  fails  of  success,  or  meets  with 
disgrace  in  some  unworthy  members,  do  not  sur- 
rounding denominations  rather,  at  least  tacitly 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  93 


and  cheerfully,  acquiesce,  if  not  rejoice,  hoping 
that  thus  more  room  will  be  made,  and  facility 
offered  for  their  own  enlargement  ?  Not  thus  is  it 
in  the  family:  if  one  member  is  visited  by  any 
calamity,  the  others  do  not  rejoice  in  it.  Nor 
thus  would  it  be  among  those  who  profess  the 
name  of  Christ,  if  the  community  of  interest  in 
the  Saviour's  family  ifad  not  been  impaired  by 
sectarian  divisions,  which  place  several  distinct, 
religious  families  on  the  same  ground,  with  sepa- 
rate pecuniary  interests,  with  conflicting  preju- 
dices, with  rival  sectarian  aims  !  In  the  Apostolic 
age,  and  for  centuries  after  it,  only  one  Christian 
Church  occupied  the  same  field,  and  thus  three- 
fourths  of  the  causes  which  originate  contentions 
among  modern  Christians  were  avoided.  These 
separate  interests  will  always  create  contention, 
rivalry,  and  jealousies  among  fallible  men,  sauc- 
tified  ])ut  in  part,  as  long  as  they  are  not  removed, 
or  their  influence  in  some  way  counteracted. 

VIII.  Christian  Union  icould  produce  a  f  uU  devel- 
opment of  Chj-istian  Character. 

This  character  being  essentially  one  of  love,  and 
generous  and  aflcctionatc,  is  marred  and  injured  by 
every  feeling  of  narrowness  or  bigotry.   These  aro 


94 


THE  AGE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


directly  opposite  to  its  native  largeness  and  open- 
ness. Moreover,  since  one  of  the  cliief  means  of 
spiritual  improvement  is  brotherly  intercourse,  we 
do  certainly  deprive  ourselves  of  this  advantage, 
so  far  as  we  alienate  ourselves  from  fellow-Cliris- 
tiaus.  And  especially  we  encourage  pride  and 
injure  the  grace  of  humility,  if  we  do  this  upon 
grounds  which  imply  the  thought  of  their  inferiority 
to  ourselves,  while  we  still  dare  not  deny  their 
Christian  character.  The  subject,  in  this  view,  de- 
serves far  more  consideration  than,  it  is  to  be  feared, 
it  receives.  Open  immoralities  will  startle  the 
conscience  of  one  who  scarce  takes  thouglit  of  his 
unchristian  tempers.  He  would  esteem  his  piety 
to  suffer  much  by  absence  from  the  place  where  he 
is  accustomed  to  meet  with  brethren  of  the  same 
name,  and  yet  pays  no  regard  to  the  evil  his  mind 
and  heart  sustain  hy  a  narrow  separation  from 
Christians  of  another  name.  Yet  the  sectarian 
"stand  by  thyself"  may  be  a  gangrene  upon  his 
soul,  and  a  grief  to  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God. 

Certainly  a  ncccssarj^  requisite  to  each  Chris- 
tian's growth  in  grace  is,  that  he  cherish  a  right 
spirit  towards  other  members  of  the  body.  A 
branch  of  the  true  vine  cannot  grow  while  in  irri- 
tating collision  with  adjacent  brandies.    One  mem- 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHBISTIAN  UNION.  95 


ber  of  the  body  is  not  strengthened  by  a  wounding 
of  the  others ;  the  hand  -weakens  itself  if  it  inflict 
pain  upon  the  foot.  If  we  do  an  unchristian  act, 
or  cherish  bitter  feelings  towards  a  fellow-Christian, 
we  not  only  violate  that  common  sj-mpathy  of 
the  members  of  Christ's  body  by  which  they  par- 
ticipate in  a  common  life  and  strength,  but  we 
turn  from  us  the  heart  and  approbation  of  Christ, 
from  whom  we  receive  our  life.  If  we  regard 
iniquity  in  our  hearts,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  us. 

And  as  individual  piety  cannot  grow  where  the 
members  of  Christ's  body  wound  each  other,  so 
neither  can  the  aggregate  piety  of  a  church- 
Where  mutual  love  is  wanting,  there  cannftt  be  the 
desired  flow  of  spiritual  life  in  the  use  of  the  means 
of  grace.  Coldness  and  mutual  alienation  among 
assembled  worshippers  repel  the  action  of  that 
Spirit  whose  very  breath  is  love. 

The  Rcvi  Dr.  Wardlaw  says :  "  I  pity  the  bigot ; 
I  detest  his  bigotry ;  I  pity  him.sclf  He  denies 
himself  enjoyment,  but  it  is  not  the  denial  which 
his  Lt>rd  enjoins ;  it  is  denying  himself  what  the 
whole  character  and  genius  of  the  Gospel  far  more 
than  warrant ;  tliat  ol'  wiiicii  the  free  indulgence  ia 
not  appropriate  to  it  inoroly,  l)ut  by  its  principles 
imperative,  and  indispeusahlc  to  the  heart's  being 


96  THE  AOE-qUESTION;  OB, 


iu  true  harmony  -with  its  own  nature,  and  with  the 
example  of  its  Divine  Author.  0  let  Christians  con- 
fine their  self-denial  to  '  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  and  of 
the  mind,'  and  let  them  enjoy  in  unstinted  measure, 
as  their  Lord  intends  they  should,  the  delight 
imparted  by  the  wide  and  unrestrained  flow  of 
their  spiritual  affections  !    I  would  not,  for  the 
world,  be  the  man  who  thus  locks  up  his  heart  in 
an  ice-house ;  who  puts  the  short  chain  and  the 
galling  collar  of  bigotry  on  the  neck  of  his  Chris- 
tian charity ;  who  can  look  round,  with  a  narrow 
sectarian  satisfaction  on  the  members  of  his  own 
little  sect,  and  with  cold  iudilTerence,  or  something 
worse,  towards  all  beyond  the  jjale    can  count, 
one  by  one,  the  number  of  those  whom  alone  he 
owns  as  his  brethren ;  who  estimates  the  Chris- 
tianity of  his  party,  and  the  evidence  of  its  being  J 
the  true  flock  of  Christ,*  by  its  diminutiveness,  I 
finding  in  this  his  solace  for  what  others  can  trace  I 
to  far  different  causes — to  the  wildness  of  its  I 
dogmas  and  the  uncharitable  censoriousness  of  its  I 
members ;  who  is  a  very  miser  of  his  love — if,  \ 
indeed,  he  can  be  called  a  miser  who  has  no  stock  i 
in  possession  beyond  what  he  gives  away."  I 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  97 


IX.  Christian  Union  is  enforced  by  the  considera- 
tion that  the  wisest  and  best  men  of  each  denomina- 
tion have  most  earnestly  desired  it,  and  that  now 
they  are  perfectly  One  in  the  Church  Above. 

Many  of  them  (men  of  whom  the  world  was  not 

worthy)  have  left  their  desire  on  record,  as  we 

have  elsewhere  noted — a  fact  which  will  be  adduced 

in  evidence  against  the  troublers  of  the  Church 

in  the  day  of  final  account.     Some  of  them 

died  with  the  desire  on  tlieir  lips ;  tliey  could 

not  bequeath  a  legacy  of  peace  to  the  Church, 

as  their  dying  Lord  did,  but  they  approached  His 

example  as  nearly  as  thcj'  were  able,  by  earnestly 

desiring  it  for  those  they  left  behind.    Some  of 

thera  who  had  contended  too  eagerly  concerning 

minor  points,  saw  and  acknowledged  their  error, 

even  on  this  side  death.    And  can  we  sui)pose 

that  they  who  Avere  the  mediators  and  healing 

spirits  of  their  day  have  now  any  thing  to  regret, 

except  tiiat  liicy  were  not  mo7-e  in  earnest?  O, 

could  we  taive  our  dilfercnces  into  their  presence, 

could  we  convolcfc  and  consult  a  synod  of  the 

blessed,  how  certainly  should  we  behold  those. 

whose  disciples  and  descendants  have  ever  been 
9 


98 


THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


at  variance  here,  sitting  together  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ  Jesus  !  how  earnestly  would  they  unite 
in  admonishing  those  followers,  if  they  honor  their 
memory,  and  would  enhance  their  happiness,  to 
blot  from  their  writings  the  controversial  and 
contentious  page,  in  which  once  they  gloried — to 
merge  their  names  at  once  and  for  ever  in  the 
great  Christian  name,  and  to  emulate  the  union  of 
heaven,  if  they  would  obtain  an  antepast  of  its 
joys  I 

X.  The  Union  of  Christians  would  tend  to  hai-mo- 
nize  their  views  on  those  points  ichich  are  now 
the  Sources  of  Division. 

This  is  the  gracious  way  in  which  God  seeks  to 
terminate  our  guilty  quarrel  with  Himself.  In- 
stead of  moving  off  from  us  to  the  greatest  pos- 
sible distance.  He  has  come  nearer  to  us  than 
ever,  dwelt  among  us,  established  a  minidry  of 
reconciliation,  and  invited  us  to  "come  and 
reason"  with  Him  at  a  throne  of  grace.  And  by 
pursuing  this  gracious  course,  is  He  not  intention- 
ally sliowing  us  the  right  way  of  becoming  recon- 
'ciled  to  each  other  ?  and  would  He  not  honor  and 
bless  the  imitation  of  His  own  methods?  Refer- 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  99 


ring  to  the  advantage  that  -wonkl  accrue  to  Chris- 
tians from  their  being  engaged  in  some  common 
enterprise  of  well-doing,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Chalmers 
says :  "  The  habit  of  acting  aright  is  one  of  the 
most  powerful  auxiliaries  to  the  faculty  of  thinking 
aright.  Speaking  of.  this  matter  subjectively, 
such  is  the  alliance  between  the  moral  and  intel- 
lectual parts  of  our  nature,  or  speaking  of  it 
objectively,  such  is  the  alliance  between  righteous- 
ness and  truth.  The  one  expedites  the  other.  To 
be  one  in  practice,  is  the  likeliest  w'aj'  of  becoming 
one  in  faith  ;  and  if  a  right  practice,  it  will,  with 
the  help  and  under  the  guidance  of  that  Spirit 
who  is  given  to  those  who  obey  Ilim,  become  a 
right  faith.  Such  is  the  affinity  between  the  good 
and  the  true.  A  common  desire  and  common 
effort  for  the  one,  are  rnost  fitted,  of  all  other 
things,  to  clear  up  the  intellectual  vision,  and  to 
lead  onward  to  a  common  perception  of  the  other. 
And  when  men  come  to  see  things  in  their  real 
dimensions,  it  will  save  the  Church  from  a  twofold 
mischief — not  only  tlie  mischief  of  extenuating 
that  which  is  great,  but  the  mischief  of  exagger- 
ating and  distending  that  wiiich  is  little.  In 
earnest  dealing  with  human  souls  on  the  question 
of  their  salvation,  they  will  feel  themselves  to  be 


100  THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


in  busy  occupation  with  the  weightier  matters  of 
our  faith,  and  be  unwilling  to  relinquish  this  for 
those  smaller  matters  which  belong  not  to  the 
essence  of  faith,  however  magnified  they  maj-  have 
been  in  the  mists  and  din  of  controvers}'." 

XI.  To  oppose  the  Union  of  Chrisiians  is  a  Sin. 

There  are  sins  which  pertain  exclusively  to  un- 
converted men,  and  cannot  be  committed  by 
Christians.  There  are  sins  wliich  may  be  commit- 
ted, though  in  a  diifcrent  manner  and  degree, 
both  by  the  men  of  the  world,  and  the  disciples 
of  our  Lord.  And  there  are  sins,  also,  which,  by 
their  verj-  nature,  cannot  be  committed  but  by  the 
children  of  God — sins  which  Christians  commit, 
and  worldl}'  men  do  not — iniquities  found  in  the 
heart  of  those  whom  Jesus  has  purified,  and  that 
can  have  no  existence  in  those  over  whom  the 
Prince  of  darkness  reigns.  It  is  a  sin  of  this  class 
a  Christian  commits  in  opposing  Christian  Union. 
The  inward  experience  of  salvation  and  regen- 
eration opens  our  ej-es,  and  causes  us  to  perceive 
wliut  tilings  are  essential  to  salvation,  and  what 
are  not.  It  causes  us  to  realize,  almost  as  if  we 
grasped  it  with,  the  hand,  both  the  faith  that  saves, 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  101 


and  that  which  it  believes,  confesses,  teaches.  It 
reveals  to  us  a  mysteiy  of  God — a  new  creation, 
wrought  both  in  us  and  in  others.  It  says  to  us : 
"  In  Christ  Jesus,  neither  circumcision  availeth 
an}-  thing,  nor  uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature." 
(Gal.  vi.  15.)  We  are  culpable,  therefore,  if  we  do 
not  act  according  to  the  light  thus  given  to  us. 
Wherever  we  find  this  new  creature,  we  are  bound 
to  love  and  to  cherish  it,  though  united  to  forms 
which  are  mainlj'  opposed  to  our  own. 

Christians  are  those  who  have  been  made  par- 
takers of  Christ.  (Ileb.  iii.  14.)  Now,  if  it  is  Christ 
whereof  they  are  all  thus  possessed,  they  are  bound 
to  be  more  alive  to  that  in  which  they  all  partici- 
pate, than  to  that  in  Avhich  they  differ.  They  ought 
to  say  with  the  Aj^ostle,  "  I  count  all  things  but 
loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
Jesus  my  Lord."  When  they  condemn  their  l)reth- 
ren,  who  stand  in  dilferent  ecclesiastical  circura- 
stances  from  their  own,  they  often  condemn  that 
which  they  do  not  actually  know  or  understand, 
and  tills  is  sinful. 

We  are  aware  tiiat  many  jjcrsons  regard  the 

■want  of  Christian  Union  as  al/ofjcthc?'  and  oul}'  an 

error.    Doubtless  it  is  an  error  of  understanding 

and  of  Christian  judgment  to  attach  more  import- 
!)* 


103 


THE  AGE-qUESTION ;  OR, 


ance  to  that  which,  in  matters  of  secondary  con- 
sideration, separates  us,  than  to  that  which  unites 
us  in  things  essential.  But  there  is  here  more  than 
an  error ;  a  want  of  Cliristian  Union  cannot  exist 
without,  in  some  measure,  a  want  of  Christian 
love,  and  this  is  a  sin  against  the  new  command_ 
ment :  "  Whosoever  hateth  his  brotlier  is  a  mur- 
derer." 

Let  a  Christian  appear  to  deny  before  the  world 
that  inter-comraunion  which  he  has  with  all  the 
Brotherhood,  and  by  this  denial  he  will  not  only 
cause  the  world  and  the  Prince  of  the  world  to  re- 
joice, but  offend  his  Lord, — sin  !  Such  an  one  is 
at  variance  with  those  who  own  the  same  God  and 
look  to  the  same  heaven  with  himself;  while  he 
maintains  intimate  relations  with  many  others 
who  have  the  same  dress  and  the  same  denomina- 
tion with  him, — but  as  to  the  rest,  nothing  I  That 
which  is  every  thing  before  God,  he  counts  fornoth- 
ing.  That  ivhich  is  nothing  with  Ood,  he  accounts 
every  thing.  He  strains  at  a  gnat  and  swallows  a 
camel.  The  sin,  moreover,  which  he  commits,  is 
a  sin  against  the  Church  itself.  We  do  not  say 
onl}'  against  the  Church  universal,  but  also  against 
the  particular  church  to  which  the  man  belongs. 
If  a  narrow  and  sectarian  spirit  is  encouraged  or 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UJSflOX.  103 


allowed  in  the  Churches,  they  soon  become  mere 
sects,  impoverished,  dwindling,  and  dry,  and  cease 
to  be  living  Churches  of  Jesus  Christ. 

In  relation  to  the  point  now  before  us,  Christians 
have  erred  in  various  ways,  it  would  seem,  at  dif- 
ferent periods  of  the  Church's  history.  One  error 
has  been  to  magnify  the  outward  form  and  organi- 
zation, so  that  it  prevailed  over  both  truth  and 
love.  No  matter  what  a  man  believed,  or  what 
spirit  he  manifested,  provided  he  was  on  the  right 
side,  he  belonged  to  the  true  Church.  Another, 
though  more  intellectual  error,  has  been  to  exalt 
the  speculative  dogma,  because  a  truth,  entirely 
above  the  spirit  of  love,  to  the  separation  of  Chris- 
tians on  most  trivial  grounds,  frequently,  and  to 
the  destruction  of  almost  all  union  and  brotherly 
concord.  And  this  has  been  much  the  mistake  of 
our  Protestantism.  It  has  led  to  the  multiplication 
of  creeds  arid  their  minuteness.  The  true  position, 
if  it  may  possibly  be  attained,  woukt  seem  to  be 
this :  "  To  hold  the  truth  in  love,"  and  let  the  love 
be  so  strong  as  to  prevail  over  many  errors,  both 
of  form  and  of  philosoi)hy,  if  only  "  the  mind  that 
was  in  Christ  Jesus  "  be  displayed  in  the  life. 

It  is  absolutely  unscriptural,  unchristian,  and 
uuapostolic,  only  to  consider  the  members  of  our 


104 


THE  AGE-qUEHTION ;  OB, 


own  denomination  as  fellow-members  in  the  body 
of  Christ,  and  only  to  care  and  to  pray  for  that 
denomination,  and  to  refuse  sj^mpathy  in  the  weal 
or  woe  of  the  rest.  Jv'"aturally,  each  professor  of 
religion  mnst  remain  true  to  his  own  denomina- 
tion, otherwise  speaking,  to  his  own  acknowledg- 
ment and  conviction,  yea,  even  unto  death.  Where 
an  essential  doctrine  is  concerned,  which  he  has 
recognized  as  a  portion  of  divine  truth,  against  the 
doctrine  of  a  different  denomination  which  he  has 
recognized  as  displacing  the  divine  truth,  he  must 
'efcnd  it,  and  defend  it  earnestly.  But  it  is  one 
thing  to  contend  against  particular  errors  of  a 
given  denomination,  and  quite  another  thing  to 
contend  against  this  denomination  as  such,  and 
against  the  members  belonging  to  it.  As  we  our- 
selves are  first  members  of  Christ  by  faith,  and 
then  members  of  some  denomination  according  to 
our  dogmatic  conviction,  so  should  we  see  in  an- 
other, first  of  all  a  member  of  Christ,  and  then  a 
member  of  a  differing  denomination.  The  member 
must  first  present  itself  to  our  eye,  and  then  its 
disease.  It  is  thus  a  clearly  sacred  duty  to  ac- 
knowledge the  common  band  which  unites  all 
evangelical  denominations,  the  recogiaiziug  of  the 
"  mighty  acts  "  of  God. 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


105 


XII.  Christian  Uiiion  loould  facilitate  the  Progress, 
and  hasten  the  Universal  Triumphs  of  Christi- 
ianity  in  the  World. 

Union  is  certainly  one  of  the  chief  constitnents 
of  power,  botli  in  the  plij'sical  and  moi'al  world,  in 
the  kingdom  of  nature  and  the  kingdom  of  grace. 
If  it  be  indeed  true,  that  where  only  "two  or  three 
are  agreed  as  touching  any  thing  that  thcj'  shall 
ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them,"  what  would  be  the 
mighty  results,  were  all  Christians  thus  agreed  ? 
The  great  preparatory  step  to  that  wonderful  re- 
vival on  the  day  of  Tentccost  was  union,  for  we 
read  that  "  the  discii)lcs  were  all  of  one  accord  in 
one  place."  The  same  union,  to  a  greater  or  less 
degree,  has  distinguisiied  modern  revivals.  And 
if  .such  have  been  the  glorious  consequences  of 
union  in  a  few  isolated  cases,  on  a  small  scale, 
what  would  be  the  stupendous  moral  results  of  one 
universal,  hoi}-  alliance  of  tlic  churches  of  Jesus 
Christ  upon  the  basis  of  the  New  Commandment? 
What  would  be  its  reflex  inlluence  upon  the  piety 
of  the  Church,  and  its  aggressive  effects  upon 
tiie  liiiiL^doni  of  Satan  ? 

If  the  Church  i.s  as  a  city  set  on  a  hill,  siic  is 


106 


THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OR, 


also  an^fcggressive  armj^^  not  only  designed  to  re- 
tain territory  already  acquired,  but  to  perpetuate 
the  conflict  until  every  knee  shall  bow  to  Jesus. 
But  how  are  such  movements  to  be  made  ?  Take 
any  district,  and  let  an  evangelical  congregatiou 
be  commenced,  and  although  there  may  not  be 
more  than  an  hundred  families  there,  and  hundreds 
of  millions  elsewhere  hear  not  the  gospel  at  all, 
you  will  soon  find  at  least  a  Baptist,  a  Methodist, 
and  a  Presbyterian  church,  if  not  two  of  this  last 
denomination,  of  different  "schools,"  and  perhaps 
an  Episcopal  church,  also,  and  none  of  their  min- 
isters receiving  half  a  support.  And,  as  if  the  whole 
affair  were  a  piece  of  political  intrigue,  our  church 
becomes  the  watchword.  All  lawful,  and  some 
doubtful  means  must  be  emplo,yed,  and  saints  and 
sinners  must  be  drawn  in.  Men  of  all  creeds  and 
men  of  no  creed,  men  of  all  characters  and  men  of 
no  character,  must  be  brought,  and  our  church 
must  be  filled.  But  we  have  forgotten  that  our 
church  and  the  Church  of  God  may  be  ver3'^  dif- 
ferent things.  If  one  denomination  obtains  a 
prominent  position,  another  will  secure  a  superior. 
If  one  has  a  splendid  church,  another  must  excel 
it,  even  though  it  should  run  in  debt,  or  beg  for 
money  by  fairs  and  festivals.    And  if  one  has  a 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  107 


popular  preacher,  another  must  have  one  too, 
though  the  operation  should  require  them  to  treat 
their  old  minister  like  their  old  furniture, — place 
him  in  a  corner,  or  send  him  to  the  sales-room  of 
vacant  congregations,  and  let  the  highest  bidder 
be  the  buyer.  Commanding  positions,  splendid 
houses  and  popular  preachers  must  be  so  moved  on 
the  chess-board,  that  our  church  will  win  the  game. 
And  if  this  is  done,  we  take  our  success  as  the 
evidence  of  the  Divine  blessing,  and  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  we  are  a  holy  people.  And  all 
this,  perhaps,  in  the  midst  of  thousands  whom  our 
neglect  has  caused  to  exclaim,  in  all  the- bitterness 
of  sin  unpardoned,  and  of  moral  desolation,  "  No 
man  cares  for  my  soul.'"  Is  this  the  Church  for 
which  Jesus  bled  and  died  ?  Is  this  part  of  the 
promised  conversion  of  the  world  ?  Is  this  worldly 
policy,  and  are  these  burning  jealousies  to  be  re- 
garded as  evidence  of  pure  au^l  uiulefded  religion, 
.and  as  the  result  of  a  Saviour's  prayers,  and  tears, 
and  bloody  agony  ?  Is  the  world  ever  tluis  to  be 
converted  ? 

"  Thousands,"  said  Ba-rlcr,  "  have  been  drawn 
to  Popery,  and  confirmed  in  it,  b}'  the  divisions  of 
Protestants."  What  was  true  then,  has  been  at 
least  equally  so  ever  siuce.    A  want  of  union  has 


108  THE  AGE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


ever  given  Popery  high  vantage  ground  against 
Protestantism,  paralyzed  the  nerves  of  the  Church, 
and  been  sucking  up  her  very  life-blood.  Yet  how 
man}'  bigots  there  are  viho  consider  their  own  as 
the  only  true  Church,  and  denounce  all  others  ;  who 
will  do  nothing  for  enlightening  the  world,  unless 
the  candle  can  be  carried  on  their  own  candle- 
stick, nor  labor  side  hy  side  with  any  but  those 
who  do  homage  to  the  particular  shibboleth  of  their 
party,  or,  if  they  so  labor,  do  it  only  on,  and  when 
on,  some  anniversary'  platform  ? 

To  the  union  of  Christians  our  Lord  himself 
most  significantly  refers  in  the  words  which  can- 
not be  too  often  quoted :  "  Neither  pray  I, 
for  these  alone,"  His  first  disciples  and  minis- 
ters, "  but  for  them  also,  which  shall  believe 
on  me  through  their  word,  that  they  all  may  be 
one, — as  Thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  Thee, 
that  thoy  also  may.be  one  in  us, — Uiat  the  world 
may  believe  that  Thou  hast  senf  me."  "I  in 
them,"  He  likewise  praj-s,  "and  Thou  in  me, — 
that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one, — and  that 
the  world  maj'  know  that  Thou  hast  sent  me,  and 
hast  loA'cd  them  as  Thou  hast  loved  me."  This 
combination  of  all  God's  people  into  one  harmo- 
nious whole,  as  preparing  the  way  for  the  general 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


109 


spread  of  Divine  truth,  is  discloserl  in  the  visions 
wliich  prophesy  supplies  of  the  latter-day  glory. 
"  Tlic  Lord  God,  ■wliich  gathereth  the  outcasts  of 
Israel,  saith,  yet  will  I  gathei*  others  to  Him,  be- 
side those  that  arc  gathered  unto  Him  ;"  to  which 
our  Lord's  language  forcibly  corresponds :  "And 
other  sheei)  I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold ; 
them  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my 
voice,  and  there  shall  be  one  fold,"  or,  as  the  word 
more  strictly  moans,  "  one  flock,  and  one  Shei)- 
herd."  0,  glorious  day!  wiieu  the  diflTerent  bands 
of  the  Lord's  volunteers,  "the  people  made  willing 
in  the  day  of  His  power,"  shall  no  longer  take  up 
their  several  positions  for  a  cross-fire  on  one 
another's  ranks,  but  fall  into  compact  order  and 
arra}'  for  encountering  the  common  enemy,  when 
all  the  wandering  shccj)  of  the  flock  of  God  shall 
be  placed  under  the  great  Shepherd's  care,  shall 
be  "saved"  b}'  his  mercy,  and  shall,  under  His 
watchful  eye,  "go  in  and  out,  and  find  pasture  I" 


XIIL  The  Church  in  it«  Millennial  and  Qlorified 
Hlate  will  be  One, 

When  the  Alillcnnium  dawiis,  the  din  of  contro- 
versy shall  cease  with  the  din  of  arms — the  peace 
10 


110  TEE  AGE-QUESTION;  OR, 


that  shall  prevail  in  the  world  shall  be  but  an 
emblem  of  the  tranquillity  which  pervades  the 
Church — and  the  pen  of  the  polemic  shall  be  laid 
up  in  the  museum  of  the  antiquarian,  with  the 
sword  of  war.  The  spirit  of  division  will  be  healed, 
not  by  legal  restraints  of  angry  controversy,  nor 
will  an  angel  descend  ^o  give  a  sanatory  virtue  to 
the  troubled  waters  of  strife,  but  this  disease  will 
be  cured  by  a  copious  effusion  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
upon  the  hostile  parties — by  the  diffusion  of  a 
larger  degree  of  vital  religion — by  drawing  men 
from  human  systems  to  the  fountain  of  Scripture, 
there  to  purify  their  much-abused  vision  from  the 
scales  of  error  and  prejudice — by  causing  them 
not  only  to  profess,  but  to  feel,  that  love  is  the 
essence  of  Cliristiauity,  and  all  beside  but  the 
"  earthly  attire"  which  she^will  throw  off  as  she 
steps  across  the  threshold  of  eternity,  to  enter  the 
temple  of  God.  Sectarianism  in  heaven  !  Why 
the  very  announcement  of  such  principle  among 
those  who  are  to  inhabit  the  same  city  with  its 
pearly  gates,  and  to  surround  the  same  throne  of 
God  and  the  Lamb,  would  carrj'  discord  into  their 
harmonious  ranks,  and  mar  their  glad  hallelujahs, 
and  grate  upon  the  cars  of  angels  and  the  Lamb. 
And  who  can  doubt  that  the  nearer  we  can  bring 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNIOK  111 


the  Church  on  earth  to  the  character  of  the  Church 
millennial  or  triumphant,  the  more  pleasing  will  she 
be  to  Ilim  that  purchased  her  with  His  blood  ? 

XIV.  Christian  Union  would  he  supremely  agree- 
able to  the  Blessed  Trinity. 

It  would  be  agreeable  to  the  Father.  He  is 
"the  very  God  of  Peace."  He  is  the  fountain 
•whence  all  the  streams  of  peace  which  are  at  this 
moment  circulating  through  the  universe,  imme- 
diately flow.  And  His  Church  was  intended,  under 
Christ,  to  be  the  channel  of  peace  to  this  troubled 
■world.  How  agreeable,  then,  would  it  be  to  His 
exalted  nature,  to  see  His  Church  answering  its 
high  design,  no  longer  reflecting  from  its  bosom 
the  tempestuous  and  angry  sky  of  earthly  strife, 
but  the  calm  of  a  higher  region — giving  back  to 
heaven  its  own  image,  and  presenting  to  earth  the 
means  of  becoming  like  it  I 

It  would  be  agreeable  to  the  Son.  Not  only  is 
one  of  His  most  appropriate  titles  "the  Prince  of 
Peace,"  but  He  chose  that  the  "  peace-makers" 
should  be  called  more  empliatically  than  others, 
"  the  children  of  (Jod," — leaving  us  to  infer  that 
they  more  nearly  resemble  their  Heavenly  Father. 


112 


TUB  AQE-QUESTION;  OR, 


He  bequeathed  to  His  Church  a  legacy  of  peace, 
He  prayed  in  death  that  His  followers  might  be 
one,  and  He  will  still  be  invoked  \)y  them  as  "  the 
Lord  of  Peace  himself"  As  "the  Head  of  His 
body,  the  Church,"  He  feels  the  shock  and  suffer- 
ing of  all  that  is  inflicted  on  the  members,  and  not 
the  less  that  the  hand  "which  inflicts  it  is  its  own. 
How  congenial  would  it  be  to  His  gracious  nature 
to  see  that  His  people  were  no  longer  crucifying 
Him  afresh,  and  putting  Him  to  an  open  shame, — 
that  they  were  no  longer  losing  sight  of  His  cross 
in  a  fierce  contention  about  His  seamless  robe ! 

It  would  be  agreeable  to  the  Holy  Spirit.  How 
can  that  Spirit  but  be  grieved  ?  How  should  any 
of  us  like  it,  to  have  our  living  body  torn  limb 
from  limb,  and  part  from  part  ?  Though  with  Him 
passion  and  disturbance  can  have  no  place,  intel- 
lectual resentment  is  infinitely  greater  and  deeper 
than  we  can  either  feel  or  conceive.  But  in  the 
same  souse  and  degree  in  which  Ihe  dissevered  and 
distracted  state  of  the  Church  now  grieves  Him, 
the  restoration  of  its  unity  and  peace  would  3'ield 
Him  ineffable  delight.  The  very  desire  of  such 
restoration,  sincerely  and  generally  expressed, 
would  open  the  windows  of  heaven  and  cause  Him 
to  return.    If  even  a  good  man  is  conscious  of 


A  PLEA  FOR  CnRISTIAN  UNION.  113 


pure  satisfaction  in  only  attempting  a  family  recon- 
ciliation, how  inconceivably  great  would  be  the 
satisfaction  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  in  restoring  and 
ratifying  the  peace  of  the  great  family  of  God  I 

Oh,  how  supremely  agreeable  would  it  be  to 
the  blessed  Trinity,  looking  down  from  the  throne 
of  their  infinite  glory,  to  behold  the  image  of  their 
ineffable  Union  reflected  in  the  intimate  and  indis- 
soluble oneness  of  the  Chui'ch,  and  the  Church 
contending  only  which  part  of  it  shall  be  most  in- 
strumental in  going  into  all  the  world,  and  preach- 
ing the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  and  baptizing 
them  into  the  threefold  name  of  God  I 

XV.  Christians  have  a  Common  Salvation. 

It  is  true  that,  as  the  result  of  that  great 

Protestant  doctrine,   "the  right  and  duty  of 

private  judgment  in  the   interpretation  of  the 

Holy  Scriptures,"  Christians  differ  in  the  views 

they  take  on  many  points  of  doctrine  and  practice, 

and  hence  have  arisen  the  different  denominations 

into  which  tlic  One  Church  of  Christ  is  divided. 

But  it  ig  still  One  Church,  und  that,  amongst 

other  reasons,  for  this,  that  it  has  essentially  but 

one  faith.    All  believers,  no  matter  by  what  name 
10* 


114 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


they  are  called,  or  in  what  communion  you  find 
tliem — all  true  believers  are  by  "  one  Spirit  bap- 
tized into  one  bodj^,  whether  they  be  Jews  or 
Gentiles,  whether  the3'^  be  bond  or  free,  and  have 
been  all  made  to  drink  into  one  Spirit."  And 
since  thej-  are  all  thus  taught  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
they  do  not  disagree  on  the  substantial  and  neces- 
sary truths  of  the  Gospel.  In  fundamentals,  as 
previously  stated,  there  is  a  perfect  unity,  while 
in  circumstantials  there  may  be  diversity.  All 
agree  in  their  teaching  as  to  the  ymy  of  a  sinner's 
salvation.  All  exhibit  tlie  righteousness  of  Christ 
as  the  alone  ground  of  justification,  and  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  regeneration.  All  point  to 
Calvary  and  cry,  "Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world  !"  A  happj'  day 
will  it  be,  and  blessed,  both  for  the  Church  and 
for  the  world,  when  this  common  testimony  to 
"the  common  salvation"  shall  be  borne,  not  as 
now,  by  separated  denominations,  under  diverse 
and  discordant  names,  but  by  one  undivided  com- 
munity— the  whole  community  of  the  faithful. 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  115 


XVI.  The  Church  is  Weakened  by  Division. 

That  "  union  is  strength,"  is  a  maxim  univer- 
sally^ admitted.  With  it,  however,  "  the  children 
of  this  world"  are  more  familiar — or  at  least  they 
act  on  it  more  faithfully — "in  their  generation, 
than  the  children  of  light."  The  god  of  this  world 
claims  the  principle  as  his  own,  and  in  his  policy, 
this  feature  of  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent  is  pe- 
culiarly conspicuous,  presenting  too  generally,  in 
this  respect,  a  melancholy  contrast  to  the  disorder 
reigning  in  the  opposite  ranks.  Our  Lord  gives 
the  great  enemy  full  credit  for  this  wisdom,  when 
he  speaks  of  Satan  as  too  sagacious  not  to  know 
"that  a  liouse  divided  against  itself  falleth," 
and  that  internal  division  must  be  fatal  to  his 
kingdom.  The  maxim  of  "the  Church's  enemy 
hitherto  has  been,  "  Divide  and  weaken,"  and  the 
policy  has  been  oft,  alas  !  but  too  successful.  The 
story  of  Bessarion  exhorting  the  Christian  princes 
to  join  against  the  Turks,  which  Mclancthon 
borrows  in  one  of  his  epistles,  and  applies  to  the 
schismatics  of  hi.s  day,  is  still  as  appropriate  as 
ever:  "  'There  was  a  war  between  the  wolves  and 
the  dogs.  Tidings  were  brought  to  the  wolves 
that  there  was  a  huge  army  of  dogs  coming  against 


116 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


them  to  tear  them  in  pieces.  The  wolves  sent  out 
an  old  and  cunning  wolf  to  survey  them,^  and  act 
the  part  of  a  scout.  On  his  return,  he  told  them 
that  there  was  indeed  a  great  companj'  of  dogs 
coming.  The^''  were  far  more  numerous  than 
themselves,  but  they  need  not  fear,  for  he  per- 
ceived they  were  of  different  colors.  On  hearing 
this,  the  wolves  did  not  regard  them,  accounting 
it  an  easy  matter  to  deal  with  those  who  were  so 
dissimilar  among  themselves.'  In  the  same  man- 
ner," saj-s  jNIelancthon,  "do  the  popish  party 
trium^Dh  in  respect  of  us."  A  divided  Church  is  a 
weak  Church,  and  this  is  a  point  well  worth  con- 
sidering, as  we  see  the  papists  putting  forth  pro- 
digious efforts,  and  their  schools  and  colleges, 
their  chapels  and  cathedrals,  their  monasteries 
and  convents,  ever;yvhere  increasing.  The  re- 
union of  Protestants  would  fill  them  with  dismay, 
and  be  a  death-blow  to  their  policy. 

Looking  at  the  division  of  the  Church  in  its 
connection  with  the  subject  of  missions,  the  Rev. 
J.  Angell  James  said,  about  twenty  j-ears  ago : 
"  I  cannot  help  thinking  there  is  something  that 
hinders  the  communication  of  the  Divine  Spirit — 
some  stone  at  the  well's  mouth,  which  needs  to  be 
rolled  away  before  the  refreshing  stream  can  flow 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  117 


forth.  I  am  not  blind  to  the  success  which  in 
man}'  parts  of  the  world  has  followed  our  mission- 
ary  operations.  I  am  not  forgetful  of  the  glorious 
aggregate  of  usefulness  which,  when  all  the  items 
are  carried  into  the  account,  and  the  total  is  sum- 
•med  up,  appears  to  our  delighted  mind.  I  do  not 
need  to  be  reminded  that,  when  first  diflSculties 
are  removed,  our  progress  may  be  expected  to  be 
more  rapid.  But,  with  all  this,  I  am  still  led  to  the 
conclusion,  that  after  millions,  of  property  have 
been  expended,  thousands  of  lives  have  been  sac- 
rificed, and  half  a  century  consumed,  much  more 
might  have  been  expected,  and  would  have  been 
accomplished,  had  the  temper  and  spirit  of  the 
Church  of  Christ  been  what  it  ought  to  have  been. 
A  dispensation  has  come  upon  us,  and  we  have 
not  made  ourselves  ready.  God  has  called  us  to 
a  high  and  holy  enterprise  against  heathenism, 
and  we  have  forgotten  tliat  '  this  kind  goeth  not 
forth  but  by  fasting  and  prayer.'  The  Church 
must  have  moi'e  of  the  sjjirit  of  faith,  and  praj'er, 
and  lioiiness,  and  especially  of  love.  Without 
this,  it  has  not  the  mind  of  Christ.  Abstract 
truth,  without  love,  identify  it  as  we  may  with  our 
several  o|)iiiions,  proves  in  operation  but  as  sound- 
ing brass  and  a  tinkling  cymbal.    It  cannot  meet 


118 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


the  hearts  of  sinners,  because  it  has  not  first 
clothed  itself  in  the  garb  of  love,  and  has  not 
essayed  its  high  behest  in  the  all-moving,  all-com- 
prehending spirit  of  Him  who  is  love.  A  divided, 
alienated  Church  cannot  convert  the  world  to 
Christ.  God  will  not  employ  her  ;  she  must  come 
to  a  better  mind  before  she  is  an  instrument  which 
He  delighteth  to  honor.  It  is  Satan's  object  to 
keep  us  sci)arated  at  home,  that  he  may  reign 
unmolested  abroad.  His  strongholds  there  are 
not  in  danger,  as  long  as  we  are  not  united  here." 

XVII.  The  Union  of  the  Church  would  exert  a 
beneficial  injluence  upon  the  Gauntry. 

It  would  bring  about  more  political  approxima- 
tion of  parties,  and  make  our  country  greater  and 
mightier  in  its  moral  influence  than  it  is  already. 
It  would,  at  any  rate,  have  a  tendency,  and  per- 
haps an  influence,  in  checking  the  repellent  action, 
the  centrifugal  force  of  political  animosities.  It 
is  the  intention  of  God  that  His  Church  should 
exert  a  beneficial  influence,  aj^art  from  what  is 
directly  religious,  upon  the  nations  in  which  it  is 
placed,  and  be  upon  them  as  a  dew,  and  among 
them  as  salt.    In  a  free  country  like  ours,  where 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  119 


differences  of  opinion  on  all  points  of  politics 
must  exist,  party  spirit  of  the  most  bitter  and 
virulent  kind  is  continually  generated  and  sus- 
tained. And  cannot  the  i)olitician  plead  in  bis 
defence,  the  rancor  of  the  professing  Christian  and 
the  polemical  divine  ?  Is  contention  less  fierce  in 
the  arena  of  religion  than  in  that  of  politics  ? 
Are  the  wranglers  in  one  much  less  pugnacious 
than  the  wranglers  in  the  other  ?  Christian  Union, 
did  it  extensively  prevail,  would  not  only  set  a 
high  and  beautiful  example  to  the  men  of  the 
world,  of  differences  in  lesser  matters  and  agiee- 
ment  in  greater  ones,  but  inasmuch  as  religious 
bodies  are  characterized  somewhat  by  prevailing 
political  opinions,  religion  would  soften  the  asperity 
of  discordant  sentiments  in  secular  matters,  and 

* 

prepare  men  to  make  concessions  of  their  pre- 
judices in  one  thing,  even  as  they  had  made  them 
in  another.  The  man  with  whom  I  am  in  the 
habit  of  meeting  and  praying  in  the  convocation 
of  saints,  though  in  some  things  of  religion  I  differ 
from  hira,  I  shall  be  likely  to  meet  also  as  a  citizen 
without  a  particle  of  venom,  thougl^  here  also  I 
am  at  issue  with  him  on  sonic  question  of  i)ublic 
interest.  How  njomuntous  it  is  that  tlie  Church 
should  iiold  out  the  law  and  the  example  of  union, 


120 


TEE  AQE-qXIESTION ;  OB, 


to  the  world,  aad  by  helping  to  soothe,  and  quiet, 
and  tame  the  furious  spirit  of  political  partisan- 
ship, should  thus  consolidate  the  strength  of  the 
country,  and  make  this  great  nation  still  mightier 
than  she  is  already  1 

XVIII.  The  Bible  exhibits  Christian  Union  as  a 
Duty. 

The  passages  of  Scripture  that  plainly  and  ex- 
plicitly insist  on  mutual  love  and  harmony  among 
all  Christ's  members,  occujjy  a  larger  space,  prob- 
ably, than  those  relating  to  any  single  topic  of 
our  holy  religion  besides.  They  are  such  as  the 
following : 

I,  therefore,. the  prisoner  of  the  Lord,  beseech 
you  that  ye  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  where- 
with ye  are  called. 

With  all  lowliness  and  meekness,  with  long- 
suffering,  forbearing  one  another  in  love  ; 

Endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  bond  of  peace. 

There  is  one  body,  and  one  Spirit,  even  as  3'C 
are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling ; 

One  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism. 

One  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all, 
and  through  all,  and  in  you  all. 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  131 


But  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given  grace  ac- 
cording to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ. 

Wherefore  he  saith,  when  he  ascended  up  on 
high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and  gave  gifts  unto 
men. 

Now  that  he  ascended,  what  is  it  but  that  he  also 
descended  first  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth  ? 

He  that  descended  is  the  same  also  that  ascended 
up  far  above  all  heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all 
things.  And  he  gave  some  apostles,  and  some 
prophets,  and  some  evangelists,  and  some  pastors 
and  teachers; 

For  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  woi'k  of 
the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of 
Christ : 

Till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect 
man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness 
of  Christ : 

That  we  henceforth  be  no  more  children  tossed 
to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of 
doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cunning 
craftiness,  whereby  tlie^'  lie  in  wait  to  deceive : 

Bnt  speaking  the  truth  in  love,  may  grow  up 
into  Ilim  in  all  things,  which  is  the  head,  even 
Christ : 

11 


133 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


From  whom  the  whole  body,  fitly  joined  to- 
gether and  compacted  by  that  which  everj'-  joint 
supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual  working  in 
the  measure  of  every  part,  maketh  increase  of  the 
body  unto  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love. — Ephe- 
sians  iv.  1-16. 

Now  I  beseech  j^ou,  brethren,  by  the  name  of 
our  Loi'd  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  all  speak  the  same 
thing,  and  that  there  be  no  divisions  among  j'ou ; 
but  that  ye  be  perfectly  joined  together  in  the 
same  mind,  and  in  the  same  judgment. 

For  it  hath  been  declared  uuto  me  of  j'ou,  my 
brethren,  by  W\Qva.  which  are  of  the  house  of  Chloe, 
that  there  are  contentions  among  3^ou. 

Now  this  I  sa}^,  that  every  one  of  yoxi  saith,  I  am 
of  Paul,  and  I  of  ApoUos,  and  I  of  Cephas,  and  I 
of  Christ. 

Is  Christ  divided  ?  was  Paul  crucified  for  you  ? 
or  were  ye  baptized  in  the  name  of  Paul  ? — 
1  Corinthians  i.  10-13. 

The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not 
the  communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  The 
bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of 
the  body  of  Christ  ? 

For  we  being  many  are  one  bread,  and  one  body : 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  123 


for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one  breacl.-j|l 
Corinthians  x.  16-17. 

Wherefore  I  give  you  to  understand,  that  no 
man  speaking  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  calleth  Jesus 
accursed :  and  that  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is 
the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Now  there  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same 
Spirit. 

And  there  are  differences  of  administrations,  but 
the  same  Lord. 

And  there  are  diversities  of  operations,  but  it  is 
the  same  God  which  worketh  all  in  all. 

But  the  manifestation  of  the  Si)irit  is  given  to 
every  man  to  profit  withal. 

For  to  one  is  given  b}'  the  Spirit  the  word  of 
wisdom ;  to  anotlier  the  word  of  knowledge  by 
th&  same  Spirit ; 

To  another  faith  by  the  same  Spirit ;  to  another, 
the  gifts  of  healing  by  the  same  Spirit; 

To  another tlie  worlving  of  miracles;  to  another 
prophecy;  to  anotlier  discerning  of  spirits;  to 
another,  divers  knids  of  tongues ;  to  another  the 
interpretation  of  tongues. 

But  all  these  worketii  that  one  and  the  self- 
same Spirit,  dividing  to  every  man  severullv  as 
he  will. 


124  THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


^jFor  as  the  body  is  one,  and  hath  many  members, 
and  all  the  members  of  that  one  body,  being  many, 
are  one  body  :  so  also  is  Christ. 

For  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all  baptized  into  one 
body,  ■whether  we  be  Jews  or  Gentiles,  whether 
we  be  bond  or  free ;  and  have  been  all  made  to 
drink  into  one  Spirit. 

For  the  body  is  not  one  member,  but  many. 

If  the  foot  shall  say,  Because  I  am  not  the  hand, 
I  am  not  of  the  body  ;  is  it  thei'efore  not  of  the 
body  ? 

And  if  the  ear  shall  say.  Because!  am  not  the 
eye,  I  am  not  of  the  body  ;  is  it  therefore  not  of 
the  body  ? 

If  the  whole  body  were  an  eye,  where  xoere  the 
hearing  ?  If  the  whole  were  hearing,  where  were 
the  smelling  ? 

But  now  hath  God  set  the  members  every  one 
of  them  in  the  body,  as  it  hath  pleased  him. 

And  if  they  were  all  one  member  where  toere 
the  body  ? 

But  now  are  they  many  members,  j'ct  but  one 
body. 

And  the  eye  cannot  say  unto  the  hand,  I  have 
no  need  of  thee  :  nor  again  the  head  to  the  feet,  I 
have  no  need  of  you. 


A  PLEA  FOB  CnmSTIAN  UNION.  125 


Nay,  much  more  those  members  of  the  body, 
■which  seem  to  be  more  feeble,  are  necessary  : 

Aud  those  members  of  the  body,  which  we  think 
to  be  less  honorable,  uijoii  these  we  bestow  more 
abundant  honour ;  and  our  uncomely  jMrts  have 
more  abundant  comeliness. 

For  our  comely  parts  have  no  need  ;  but  God 
hath  tempered  the  body  together,  having  given 
more  abundant  honour  to  that  j^arl  which  lacked  ; 

That  there  should  be  no  schism  in  the  body ; 
but  that  the  nigmbers  should  have  the  same  care 
one  for  another. 

And  whether  one  member  suffer,  all  the  members 
suffer  with  it ;  or  one  member  be  honoured,  all  the 
members  rejoice  with  it. 

Now  ye  are  the  body  of  Ohrist,  and  member's  in 
particular.  —  1  Corinthians  xii.  3-27. 

Though  1  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  aud 
of  angels,  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  become 
as  sounding  brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal. 

And  though  I  have  the  gift  of  piophecj',  and 
understand  all  mysteries,  and  all  knowledge,  and 
though  I  have  all  faith,  so  tliat  I  could  remove 
mountains,  and  have  not  cliarity,  I  am  nothing. 

Aud  though  1  bestow  all  my  goods  to  feed  the 
11* 


126  THE  AOE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


poor,  and  thongli  I  give  mj  body  to  be  burned, 
and  have  not  charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing. 

Charit}^  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind ;  charity 
envieth  not ;  charity  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not 
puffed  up. 

Doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not 
her  own,  is  not  easily  provoked,  thinketh  no  evil, 

Rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the 
truth ; 

Beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth 
all  thino-s,  endiireth  all  thinsfs. 

Charity  never  faileth :  but  whether  ihe7-e  he 
prophecies,  they  shall  fail,  whether  there  6e  tongues, 
they  shall  cease,  whether  there  he  knowledge,  it 
shall  A'anish  away. 

For  we  know  in  part,  and  we  prophesy  in  part. 

But  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  then 
that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away. 

When  I  was  a  child,  I  spake  as  a  child,  I  under- 
stood as  a  child,  I  thought  as  a  child :  but  when  I 
became  a  man,  I  put  away  childish  things. 

For  now  we  see  through  a  glass  darkly,  but  then 
face  to  face  :  now  I  know  in  part ;  but  then  shall 
I  know  even  as  also  I  am  known. 

And  now  abidcth   faith,  hope,  charity,  these 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  127 


three ;  but  the  greatest  of  these  is  charity. — 
1  Corinthians  xiii. 

For  I  say,  through  the  grace  given  unto  me,  to 
every  man  that  is  among  j'^ou,  not  to  think  of  him- 
self more  highly  than  he  ought  to  think,  but  to 
think  soberly,  according  as  God  hath  dealt  to 
every  man  the  measure  of  faith. 

For  as  we  have  manj'  members  in  one  body, 
and  all  members  have  not  the  same  office : 

So  we,  being  many,  are  one  body  in  Christ, 
and  every  one  members  one  of  anothei*. 

Having  then  gifts,  differing  according  to  the 
grace  that  is  given  to  us,  whether  prophecy,  let 
us  prophesy  according  to  the  proportion  of  faith; 

Or  ministry,  let  us  ivait  on  our  ministering :  or 
he  that  teacheth,  on  teaching: 

Or  he  that  exhorteth  on  exhortation  :  he  that 
giveth,  let  him  do  it  with  simplicity :  he  that  ruleth, 
with  diligence ;  he  that  shcweth  mercy,  with 
cheerfulness. 

Let  love  be  without  dissimnLition.    Abhor  that 

which  is  evil,  cleave  to   that  which  is  good  

Romans  xii.  3-1). 

ilim  that  is  weak  in  faith  receive  ye,  but  not  to 
dou1)tful  disputatious. — llomaus  xiv.  1. 


128  TEE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


We  then  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the  in- 
firmities of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please  ourselves. 

Let  every  one  of  us  please  Ms  neighbor  for  his 
good  to  edification. 

For  even  Christ  pleased  not  himself;  but,  as  it 
is  written,  The  reproaches  of  them  that  reproached 
thee  fell  on  me. 

For  whatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime 
were  written  for  our  learning,  that  we  through 
patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures  might  have 
hope. 

Now,  the  God  of  patience  and  consolation  grant 
you  to  be  like-minded  one  toward  another  accord- 
ing to  Christ  Jesus : 

That  ye  may  with  one  mind  and  one  mouth 
glorify  God,  even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

Wherefore  receive  ye  one  another,  as  Christ  also 
received  us,  to  the  glory  of  God. — Romans  xv. 
1-7. 

Now  I  besech  you,  brethren,  mark  them  which 
cause  divisions  and  offences,  contrary  to  the  doc- 
trine wliich  ye  have  learned ;  and  avoid  them. 

For  they  that  are  such,  serve  not  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  but  their  own  belly,  and  by  good 


I 


A  PLEA  FOR  CURISTIAN  UNION. 


129 


words  and  fair  speeches  deceive  the  hearts  of  the 
simple. 

For  your  obedience  iffcome  abroad  nnto  all  men. 
I  am  glad,  therefore,  on  your  behalf:  but  yet  I 
■would  have  you  wise  unto  that  which  is  good,  and 
simple  concerning  evil. 

And  the  God  of  peace  shall  bruise  Satan  under 
your  feet  shortly.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  be  with  you.  Amen. — Romans  xvi.  lt-20. 

In  this  the  children  of  God  are  manifest,  and  the 
children  of  the  devil :  whosoever  doeth  not  right- 
eousness is  not  of  God,  neither  he  that  loveth  not 
his  brother. 

For  this  is  the  message  that  ye  heard  from  the 
beginning,  that  we  should  love  one  another. 

Not  as  Cain,  who  was  of  that  wicked  one,  and 
slew  his  brother.  And  wherefore  slew  he  him? 
Because  his  own  works  were  evil,  and  his  brother's 
righteous. 

Marvel  not,  my  brethren,  if  the  world  hate  you. 

We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  untb 
life,  because  we  love  the  brethren.  He  that  loveth 
not  his  brother,  abideth  in  death. 

Whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer: 
and  ye  know  that  no  murderer  hath  eternal  life 
abiding  in  him. 


130  THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


Hereby  perceive  we  the  love  of  God,  because  be 
laid  down  bis  life  for  us :  and  we  ought  to  lay 
down  our  lives  for  the  brethren. 

But  whoso  hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his 
brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of 
compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of 
God  in  him  ? 

My  little  children,  let  us  not  love  in  word,  nei- 
ther in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth. 

And  hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth, 
and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him. 

For  if  our  heart  condemn  us,  God  is  greater 
than  our  heart,  and  knoweth  all  things. 

Beloved,  if  our  heart  condemn  us  not,  llien  have 
we  confidence  toward  God. 

And  whatsoever  we  ask,  we  receive  of  him,  be- 
cause we  keep  his  commandments,  and  do  those 
things  that  are  pleasing  in  his  sight. 

And  this  is  his  commandment.  That  we  should 
believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and 
Im'e  one  another,  as  he  gave  us  commandment. 

And  he  that  kecpeth  his  commandments  dwel- 
leth in  him,  and  he  in  him.  And  hereby  we  know 
that  he  abidcth  in  us,  by  the  Spirit  which  he  hath 
given  us. — 1  John  iii.  10-24. 

And  other  sheep  I  have  which  are  not  of  tliis 


A  PLEA  FOE  GEBISTIAN  UNION.  131 


fold :  them  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear 
my  voice,  and  there  shall  be  one  fold  and  one  shep- 
herd— John  s.  16. 

And  -whoso  shall  receive  one  such  little  child  in 
my  name,  receiveth  me. 

But  whoso  shall  offend  one  of  these  little  ones 
which  believe  in  me,  it  were  better  for  him  that  a 
millstone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that  he 
were  drowned  in  the  depth  of  the  sea. — Matthew 
xviii.  5,  6. 

And  John  answered  and  said.  Master,  we  saw 
one  casting  out  devils  in  thy  name,  and  we  forbade 
him,  because  he  followeth  not  with  us. 

And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Forbid  him  not,  for  he 
that  is  not  against  us  is  for  us. — Luke  ix.  49,  50. 

See  also  the  Gospel  of  John,  from  the  thirteenth 
chapter  to  the  seventeenth,  inclusive. 

The  prayer  of  Jesus,  John  xvii.  21  :  "  That  they 
all  may  be  one,  as  Thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I 
in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us  ;  that  the 
world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me,"  lias 
been  thus  interpreted :  "  This  prayer  was  made  for 
the  establishment,  not  only  of  such  a  real,  but  of 
such  an  ostensible  unity,  among  Christians,  a.s 
could  be  seen  by  the  world,  and  as  might  lead  the 


133  THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


world  to  believe  in  the  mission  of  our  Saviour." — 
Rev.  Dr.  Chalmers. 

"  It  would  appear  that  the  unity,  or  union,  so 
earnestly  commended,  and  made  the  subject  of 
such  pathetic  supplication  in  the  intercessory 
praj^er  of  our  Saviour,  is  far  less  dependent  than  is 
sometimes  thought  on  external  organization,  and 
is,  in  fact,  much  more  simple  and  divine.  It  is 
true,  it  must  be  a  visible  union — apparent  as  well 
'as  real — patent  and  palpable  to  si^ectators,  and 
such  as  the  world  may  know  and  recognize ;  other- 
wise it  could  never  lead  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
Father.  At  the  same  time,  in  whatever  measure, 
and  in  whatever  manner  it  is  thus  open  to  observa- 
tion, it  must  be  as  a  union,  not  of  man's  con- 
trivance, but  of  God's  inspiration.  "-j-Rev.  Robert 
S.  Candlish,  D.  D. 

"  The  special  mercy  and  particular  blessing  which 
Clirist  prays  for  on  behalf  of  believers  is  a  close 
and  intimate  union  betwixt  the  Father,  himself, 
and  them,  and  also  betwixt  one  another ;  such  an 
union  as  doth  in  some .  sort  resemble  that  union 
which  is  betwixt  God  and  Christ — not  an  unity  of 
essence  and  nature,  but  of  wills  and  affections. 
Here  Christ  intimates  one  special  advantage  that 
would  redound  to  the  world  by  this  desirable  union 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  133 


betwixt  the  ministers  and  members  of  Christ ;  it 
will,  if  not  conyert,  yet  at  least  ct)nyince  the 
world  that  I  and  mj  doctrine  came  fi-om  God." 
Burkitt. 

"  It  is  certain  that  the  oneness  praj-ed  for  re- 
spects all  believers.  It  is  the  praj-er  of  Christ  for 
all  that  are  His.  It  includes  three  things :  1.  That 
they  might  all  be  incorporated  in  one  bodj'. 
2.  That  they  are  all  animated  by  one  spirit ;  plainly 
implied  in  that  they  may  be  one  in  us.  3.  That  they 
all  may  be  one :  1,  in  judgment  and  sentiment ;  2, 
in  disposition  and  inclination ;  3,  in  designs  and 
aims;  4,  in  desires  and  prayers;  5,  in  love." — 
Matthew  Henry. 

• 


CHRISTIANS  IN  EARTH  AND  HEAVEN  ARE  ONE. 
By  one  Spirii  are  we  all  baptized  in  one  body — (1  Cor.  xii.  13.) 

Let  saints  below  in  concert  sing, 

With  those  to  glory  gone ; 
For  all  the  servants  of  our  King 

lu  earth  and  heaven  are  one. 

12 


TEE  AGE-qUESTION;  OR, 


One  family,  we  dwell  in  Him  ; 

Ou«  Church,  above,  beneath  ; 
Though  now  divided  by  the  stream — 

The  narrow  stream — of  death. 

One  army  of  the  living  God, 

To  His  command  we  bow ; 
Part  of  the  host  have  crossed  the  flood, 

And  part  are  crossing  now. 

Some  to  their  everlasting  home 

This  solemn  moment  fly, 
And  we  are  to  the  margin  come, 

And  soon  expect  to  die. 

Oh  that  we  now  might  see  our  Guide ! 

Oh  that  the  word  was  given  ! 
Come,  blessed  Lord,  the  waves  (Mvide, 

And  land  us  all  in  heaven. 


A  PLEA  FOB  CUBISTIAN  UNION.  135 


EJECTIONS  TO  LhRISTIAN  UnION. 


There  are  those  who,  if  they  do  not  feel  quite 
ready  to  justify  the  divisions  and  animosities  in 
the  Church,  on  the  ground  that  they  were  predict- 
ed, yet,  for  this  reason,  seldom  make  them  the 
subjects  of  painful  reflection,  regarding  them  as 
evils  which  it  would  be  chimerical  to  attempt  to 
remedy.  Now  it  is  true  that  it  was  announced  by 
the  Author  of  Christianity,  and  the  great  Head  of 
the  Christian  Church,  that  "  offences  must  needs 
be,"  and  "  that  He  had  come  to  give  not  peace  on 
earth,  but  ratlier  division,"  and  that  one  of  His 
Apostles  declares  that  "there  must  be  heresies," 
or  sects,  "  that  they  which  are  approved  may  be 
made  manifest."  Nor,  keeping  in  view  such 
declarations,  can  it  be  doubted  that  if  these  evils 
had  not  occurred,  we  should  have  good  ground  to 
question  the  truth  of  the  religion  of  Christ,  and 
the  Divinity  of  His  mission.  Manifestly,  how- 
ever, to  take  occasion  to  vindicate  or  extenuate 
these  evils,  from  the  circumstance  that  they  wore 


"Divisions  were  Predicted: 


136 


THE  AOE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


predicted,  would  be  as  unjustiGable  as  to  attempt 
to  exculpate  the  murder  of  the  Prince  of  Life — 
the  most  shocking  crime  ever  perpetrated  on  earth 
— because  it  too  was  explicitly  predicted. 


"Divisions  do  Good." 


It  is  alleged  by  some  that  the  divisions  in  the 
Church  exert  a  favorable  influence  on  the  cause  of 
Christianity.  This,  however,  is  not  true.  These 
divisions  have  no  doubt  been  overruled  so  as  to 
produce  some  good,  but  in  themselves,  and  in 
their  genviine  tendency  and  their  natural  results, 
they  ai'e  an  evil  of  colossal  dimensions  and  deadly 
malignity.  They  have  confirmed  the  prejudices 
of  unbelievers,  hardened  them  in  impenitence  and 
infidelity,  and  caused  "  the  way  of  God  to  be  evil 
spoken  of,"  and  "  the  name  of  God  to  be  blas- 
phemed." They  weaken  our  efforts,  as  elsewhere 
observed,  in  restoring  a  revolted  world  to  God. 
It  requires  no  great  skill  to  prove,  nor  sagacity  to 
perceive,  how  they  must  have  this  effect.  They 
tend  to  keep  alive  the  spirit  of  party,  and  to  cor- 
rupt our  zeal,  to  make  us  more  concerned  to  ad- 
vance our  own  cause  than  that  of  the  Redeemer, 
more  anxious  to  diffuse  our  peculiarities  than 


A  PLEA  FOR  CnBISTIAN  UNION.  137 


the  common  salvation.  Our  views  are  con- 
tracted, our  spirit  is  restrained,  our  aim  is  low- 
ered. We  are  in  danger  of  losing  the  noble- 
ness and  amplitude  of  the  true  missionary  spirit, 
and  of  sinking  down  into  the  littleness  of 
party.  The  lofty  inspiration  of  the  hope  of  con- 
verting the  world  to  Christ  gives  way  to  the  lower 
impulse  of  differences  about  peculiar  forms  of 
ecclesiastical  polity,  or  of  sacramental  administra- 
tion. The  truth  is,  that  long  ere  now  the  nations 
of  the  world  might  have  been  irradiated  with  the 
light  of  Revelation,  and  subjugated  to  the  peaceful 
sceptre  of  the  Saviour,  if  those  energies  and  re- 
sources which  His  professed  followers  have  wasted 
in  intestine  warfare  had  been  employed  in  promot- 
ing the  prosperity,  and  enlarging  the  boundaries 
of  His  kingdom.  Besides,  these  divisions  ha\^ 
exerted  a  most  malignant  and  most  potent  influence 
in  corrupting  the  purity  of  the  Church — a  quality 
intimately  connected  with  her  unity,  and  scarcely 
less  important ;  for  by  engendering  and  nursing  a 
spirit  of  unholy  rivalry,  they  have  proved  a  per- 
petual incentive  to  her  different  sections  to  swell 
their  ranks  by  the  admission  of  the  unworthy,  that 
they  miglit  thus  outnumber  their  neighbors.  More- 
over, as  thcv  almost  always  originate  in  alienation 


138  THE  AOE-qUESTION ;  OR, 


of  affection,  and  consummate  and  perpetuate  this 
alienation,  tliey  are  little  less  than  a  repeal  of  that 
"  love  "  which  "  is  the  fulfilling  "  or  completion  "  of 
the  law,"  in  so  far  as  concerns  the  majority  of  its 
objects,  for  they  not  only  tempt  hut  almost  con- 
strain us  to  regard  with  jealousy  and  dislike  those 
who  are  entitled  to  our  cordial  esteem  and  our  fra- 
ternal affection.  For  "the  fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
love,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,"  they 
substitute  "  the  works  of  the  flesh,  hatred,  variance, 
emulations,  and  wrath." 

"As  well  maintain,"  saj's  one,  "that  frost  will 
produce  blossoms,  or  that  thorns  will  yield  cluster- 
ing grapes,  as  that  the  Church,  which  should  be 
one  in  faith  and  love,  can  be  really  benefited  by 
a  sectarian  spirit.  Sectarianism,  being  introduced 
into  a  district,  soon  begins  to  spread.  When  one 
party  angrily  attacks  the  peculiarities  of  another, 
it  speedily  repels  the  aggression  and  criminates  the 
assailants  in  return.  The  collision  elicits  sparks 
of  fire.  New  points  of  discrepancy  arc  found  out 
and  magnified.  The  passions  of  the  contending 
parties  are  blown  into  a  flame.  They  range  them- 
selves into  opposing  factions.  Tempers  are 
heated.  Tresh  parties  arise.  The  merest  trifles  b*e- 
come  matters  of  the  highest  moment.    More  than 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHBISTIAN  UNION.  139 


one-half  of  the  clergymen  that  are  employed  conlrl 
be  dispensed  with,  and  yet  the  work  of  the  district 
be  performed  equally  well.  They  are  continually 
crossing  each  other's  path  of  usefulness.  Much 
of  their  time  is  wasted  in  counteracting  each 
other's  movements.  A  clap-trap  mode  of  preach- 
ing is  cultivated.  Tulgar  prejudices  are  flattered. 
Rich  %ien  are  fawned  upon.  Attempts  are  made 
to  swell  the  little  rival  communities,  by  gathering 
in  persons  of  very  questionable  character.  Minis- 
ters are  pinched  and  narrowed  in  their  family  com- 
forts, not  for  the  sake  of  the  Gospel,  but  for  the 
sake  of  things  of  doubtful  disputation.  Active 
and  benevolent  men  feel  they  have  a-  ljurden  too 
great  to  bear  in  supporting  a  pastor  who  has  a 
mere  handful  of  members.  Small  churches  have 
no  moral  weight.  Besides  they  dare  not  asso- 
ciate for  any  benevolent  end,  lest  they  learn,  like 
drops  of  quicksilver,  to  glide  into  each  other,  and 
hence  they  can  carry  on  no  great  united  enterprise 
either  in  charity  or  religion.  "Thefro.st  of  secta- 
rian selfishness  arrests  the  full  flow  of  love  in  pro- 
moting the  highest  interests  of  man." 


.140  THE  AGE-qUESTION J  OB, 


"It  is  Wrong  to  Sacrifice  Essential  Truth." 

It  is  asked,  "  Would  not  Christian  Union  require 
the  unwarrantable  sacrifice  of  truth  ?  "  To  this  in- 
quiry a  negative  answer  must  be  given,  for  the 
Union  contemplated  is  on  the  basis  of  substantial 
Christianity.  By  substantial  Christianity  is%ieant 
that  sum  of  revealed  truth  which  is  essential  to 
individual  salvation,  or,  in  other  words,  the  recep- 
tion of  which  is  practically  essential  to  the  progress 
and  universal  triumph  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in 
the  earth.  There  are  certain  truths  in  Scripture 
which  are  essential,  and  others  which  are  not 
essential.  We  know  this  principle  is  denied  by 
some,  but  how  can  it  be?  Such  denial  leads  to 
consequences  the  most  appalling,  and  of  which, 
obvious  though  they  be,  the  persons  making  the 
denial,  are  little  aware.  If  there  be  no  essential 
truths  in  Christianity— none,  the  belief  of  which 
is  necessary  to  salvation — it  will  follow,  contrary 
to  the  express  declarations  of  Scripture,  that  men 
may  be  saved  without  faith.  On  tlic  other  hand, 
if  all  truths  are  thus  essential,  it  will  follow,  that 
no  man  has  yet  been  saved,  and  that  no  man  is 
ever  likely  to  be  saved,  for  it  hardly  admits  of  dis- 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  141* 


pute,  that  no  man  has  ever  j'^et  known  and  believed, 
and  that  no  man,  at  least  on  earth,  is  likely  to 
know  and  believe,  all  the  facts  and  principles  of 
Christianity  without  a  single  exception. 

Thus  evident  is  it  that  there  are  in  religion  cer- 
tain things  which  are  essential  to  salvation,  and 
others  which  are  not  thus  essential,  though,  in 
their  proper  place,  they  too  may  be  of  great  value 
and  importance. 

Can  the  distinction  now  referred  to  be  ascer- 
tained with  sufficient  accuracy  for  all  ])ractical 
purposes  ?  We  believe  that  it  can.  Let  us  not 
be  misunderstood.  When  we  assert  that  some 
things  in  religion  are  fundamental,  vital,  and 
essential,  and  that  others  are  not — that  some  are 
of  primary,  and  others  only  of  secondary  or  sub- 
ordinate importance,  we,  of  course,  by  no  means 
intend  to  represent  the  latter  as  being  of  no  im- 
portance whatever.  AVc  hold  that  no  Christian  * 
doctrine,  or  institute,  or  precept,  is  absolutely 
unimportant,  or  even  of  little  importance.  The 
idea  we  wish  to  convc}-  is,  that,  while  there  arc 
some  facts  and  truths  in  Christianity  which,  in 
ordinary  cases,  must  be  known  and  believed  in 
order  to  salvation,  there  are  others  which,  though 
conducive  to  edilicatiou  and  comfort,  arc  not  thus 


•143 


THE  AOE-QUE8TI0N;  OB, 


essential,  ignorance  of  them,  or  the  misapprohen- 
sion  of  them,  is  not  incompatible  with  a  state  of 
grace.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  Divine  Wisdom  has 
not  provided  us  with  a  catalogue  of  necessary  or 
essential  truths.  Such  descriptions,  however,  are 
given  of  them,  and  such  signatures  of  their  gran- 
deur and  importance  are  visibly  impressed  on 
them,  that  we  may  easily  make  a  sufficiently  near 
approximation  to  them. 

As  Christianity  is  the  revelation  of  a  remedy 
for  the  spiritual  maladies  of  mankind,  it  follows 
that  its  vital  doctrines  must  all  be  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  remedy.  In  order,  then,  to  deter- 
mine whether  an  individual  possesses  that  knowl- 
edge which  is  indispensable  to  salvation,  the  great 
question  evidently  is.  Has  he  correct  and  affectiug 
views  of  his  personal  guilt  and  depravity,  of  the 
character  and  worlc  of  the  Saviour,  and  of  the 
nature  of  the  Christian  salvation,  as  a  scheme  not 
only  of  forgiveness  but  of  moral  renovation  ?  Do 
his  views  impel  him  to  disclaim  all  self-dependence 
— to  rely  humbly  on  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  the 
Son  of  God  for  pardon — to  look  to  Him  for  de- 
liverance from  the  pollution  as  well  as  the  punish- 
ment of  sin — to  love  Him,  and  to  live  to  Him  ?  If 
so,  we  are  warranted  to  regard  him  as  a  true  be- 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


143 


liever,  and  bound  to  receive  him  in  that  capacity. 
It  is,  indeed,  on  this  principle  the  very  persons  act 
who  reject  and  condemn  the  distinction  between 
those  things  in  religion  which  are  essential,  and 
those  which  are  not.  In  admitting  to  the  com- 
munion of  the  Church,  these  persons,  demand- 
ing, as  they  do,  as  a  necessary  qualification,  what 
they  are  accustomed  to  designate  "a  competent 
measure  of  Christian  knowledge,"  assume  that  there 
are  things  in  Christianity  necessary  to  be  known, 
and  things  not  thus  necessary.  Now,  by  what 
criterion  do  they  ascertain  that  exact  amount  of 
knowledge  which  constitutes  a  competent  measure  ? 
If  an  applicant,  whose  attainments  were  exceed- 
ingly slender,  gave  satisfying  proof  that  he  pos- 
sessed the  faith  and  love  of  Christ,  would  they  re- 
j At  him  ?  And  if  not,  on  what  ground  do  they 
receive  him?  Thus  does  it  appear  that  all  who 
bear  oflice  in  the  Church  arc  compelled  in  their 
ecclesiastical  managements  to  act  upon  the  dis- 
tinction between  those  things  in  religion  which 
ar«  essential,  and  those  which  are  not.  Nor  is 
there  any  inconsistency  between  the  course  which 
they  have  to  pursue,  and  the  acknowledgment 
that  there  may  be  truth's,  or  views  of  truths, 
which  are  csscutial  to  one  man,  and  not  to  another, 


144 


THE  AOE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


in  consequence  of  the  diversity  of  their  means  and 
privileges,  and  that  it  is  essential  to  the  character 
of  a  Christian  to  receive  with  docility  every  doc- 
ti'ine  distinctly  discerned  by  him  to  be  a  doctrine 
of  Christ,  and  to  aim  at  a  cordial  compliance  with 
every  requirement  clearly  perceived  to  be  a  com- 
mandment of  Christ.  In  writing  of  the  import- 
ance of  the  cooperation  of  ministers  for  bringing 
sinners  to  Jesus,  Dr.  Chalmers  says:  "In  earnest 
dealing  with  human  souls  on  the  question  of  their 
salvation,  why  should  they  relinquish  this  for  the 
smaller  matters  which  belong  not  to  the  essence  of 
faith,  however  magnified  they  may  have  been  in  the 
mists  and  din  of  controversy?  If  tempted  by  eager 
partizans  to  make  such  a  descent,  they  might  well 
say,  in  the  language  of  Nehemiah,  '  We  are  doing 
a  great  work,  and  why  should  we  come  down  unto 
you  V  "  Thus  this  great  and  good  man  recognizes 
and  approves  the  distinction  which  we  maintain. 

Inasmuch,  therefore,  as  the  union  of  Christians 
that  we  desire,  is  such  as  is  founded  on  those  doc- 
trines which  make  them  Christians,  the  faith  in 
which  salvation  lies,  and  which  has  been  con- 
sidered as  the  orthodoxy  of  all  Protestant  churches 
— we  confidently  allirm  that  no  church,  or  indi- 
vidual Christian,  is  making  an  unjustifiable  sacri- 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  145 


fice  of  truth  in  consenting  to  receive  to  its  com- 
munion those  whom  God  has  made  His  children 
by  disposing  and  enabling  them  to  believe,  and 
experience  the  power  of,  the  great  fundamental 
religious  truths — the  justification  of  the  sinner  by 
faith,  and  the  regeneration  of  his  heart  by  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  A  far  less  justifiable 
sacrifice  of  truth,  we  cannot  but  think,  would  be 
made  by  a  refusal  to  receive  into  the  "  household 
of  faith"  those  who  are  "babes  in  Christ,"  and  as 
such,  at  least,  "desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the 
word,"  looking  forward  with  faith  and  hope  to  the 
time  when,  as  full-grown  "  men,"  they  shall  be 
prepared  for  the  "  strong  meat "  of  the  Word. 

"  Suppose  it  admitted,"  says  one,  "  that  there 
can  be  no  such  thing  as  perfectly  innocent  error. 
Is  it  safe — nay,  is  it  consistent  with  the  self-diffi- 
dence and  humility  of  the  Christian  character — to 
assume  our  own  infallibility — not  our  own  exclusive 
conscientiousness  merely — but  the  absolute  im- 
possibility of  the  error  lying  with  us,  as  if  we,  of 
all  Christians  on  earth,  were  altogether  beyond 
the  reach  of  any  perverting  or  biassing  inlluencc  ? 
Do  not  becoming  distrust  for  ourselves,  and  be- 
coming charity  for  others,  unite  in  recommending 

a  difFcrcnt  principle  on  whiclx  to  regulate  our  feel- 
13 


146  THE  AQE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


ings  and  our  conduct  towards  our  fellow-Chris- 
tians ?  Is  there  no  allowance  to  be  made  for  the 
varieties,  great  as  they  are,  even  in  mental  perspi- 
cacity and  vigor,  and  none  for  the  power  of  early 
hal)its  and  associations — where  the  sincerity  of 
the  desire  to  know  and  to  follow  Christ  may  be 
equal  ?  Is  forbearance  to  be  utterly  forsworn,  and 
ranked  among  sins  against  Christ?  Are  we  to 
confine  to  the  one  special  case  to  which  it  was  ap- 
plied, the  Apostle's  indignant  and  testing  ques- 
tion— 'Who  art  thou  that  judgest  another  man's 
servant?'  If  we  are — then,  indeed,  there  is  no 
help  for  us.  Division,  and  subdivision,  and  sub- 
subdivision  must  go  on,  ad  infinitum,  and  at  every 
step  in  the  spirit  of  'all  uncharitableness.'  If 
you  say :  '  That  is  no  fault  of  ours,  every  man 
must  think  and  act  for  himself — I  grant  you  your 
position.  All  I  want  is,  that  you  do  not  insist  on 
thinking  and  acting  for  others  as  well  as  your- 
selves— that  3^ou  do  not  look  upon  others  as  owing 
a  kind  of  debt  of  submission  to  your  superior  judg- 
ment. This  is  the  evil : — Your  forgetting  that 
you  hold  no  position  towards  others  which  they 
have  not  tlie  same  title  to  assume  towards  j^ou." 

The  same  author  sa.ys :  "  If  I  see  a  fellow-be- 
liever who  happens  to  be  a  Presbyterian,  manifest- 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  147 


ins  in  liis  life  a  larger  amount  of  the  exalted  moral 
excellences  and  the  lovely  beauties  of  the  Christian 
character,  than  another  fellow-believer  who  is  an 
Independent,  I  must,  if  my  sentiments  and  feelings 
are  in  any  thing  like  harmony  with  the  dictates  of 
the  Word  of  God,  experience  a  correspondingly 
large  amount  of  the  love  of  complacency  towards 
the  one  than  towards  the  other.  How,  then,  am  I 
to  characterize  the  principle,  according  to  which  I 
am  to  be  precluded  from  giving  a  place  beside  me 
at  the  Christian  feast  to  the  more  worthy,  while  I 
am  bound  to  give  it  to  the  less  worthy,  of  my 
brotherly  affection  ? — bound  to  receive  him  who  is 
a  less  Christian,  because  he  is  an  Independent, 
and  bound  to  exclude  him  who  is  viore  a  Christian 
because  he  is  a  Presbyterian  !  Is  there  any  thing 
like  this  in  all  the  Bible  ?    '  I  trow  not.'  " 


"The purity  of  the  Church  tvould  be  vitiated." 

It  has  frequently  been  urged  against  what  is 
called  "  free,"  or  "  open  communion,"  that  it 
would  relax  the  discipline  of  the  Church,  and  thus 
aggravate  one  of  the  most  fearful  calamities  that 
has  ever  befallen  her — impurity  of  communion. 
If  the  gates  of  a  church  are  to  be  opened  for  the 


148  THE  AOE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


admission  of  strangers,  would  it  not,  it  is  asked, 
inevitably  happen  that  many  doubtful  and  many 
unworthy  characters  would  be  received  ?  Would 
not  the  partition  wall  which  ought  ever  to  sepa- 
rate the  Church  from  the  world  be  thus  under- 
mined, and  the  former,  instead  of  being  composed 
of  the  sheep  and  lambs  of  "  the  good  Shepherd," 
become  a  multitude,  like  the  flocks  of  the  patriarch 
— "  ring-streaked,  speckled,  and  spotted  ?"  This 
objection,  however,  is,  in  our  judgment,  manifestly 
without  any  real  force.  Who  does  not  know,  that 
no  man  is  entitled  even  to  occasional  communion 
in  any  Church,  who  does  not,  to  a  certain  extent, 
submit  to  its  control  ?  To  that  privilege  he  is 
admitted  only  in  consequence  of  his  personal  piety 
being  known  to  those  who  administer  its  aflairs, 
or  in  consequence  of  being  satisfactorily  attested 
to  them  by  others  in  whose  faithfulness  and  dis- 
cernment confidence  can  safely  be  reposed.  And 
if,  by  any  misconduct,  he  bring  his  piety  into  just 
suspicion,  or  in  any  waj'  act  unsuitably  to  his 
Christian  profession,  he  forfeits  the  privilege  to 
which  he  had  been  admitted,  and  can  re-establish 
his  claim  to  it  only  by  decisive  evidence  of  repent- 
ance and  reformation.  How,  then,  could  the 
scheme  proposed  possibly  relax  the  discipline  of 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  149 


the  Church,  or  vitiate  the  purity  of  her  com- 
muniou  ? 

"//!  would  embarrass,  if  not  destroy,  the  discipline 
of  the  Church." 

Communion  between  the  different  branches  of  the 
Church  of  Christ,  it  is  alleged,  would  convert  the 
Church  into  a  scene  of  perpetual  strife  and  con- 
fusion. There  might  thus  be  introduced  into  them 
severally  individuals  who  differed  from  the  office- 
bearers, and  from  the  majority  of  the  members, 
on  many  topics  which  agitate  and  divide  the  reli- 
gious world — such  as  Baptism,  and  Church  govern- 
ment, not  to  speak  of  doctrinal  topics  perhaps 
still  more  important,  and  thus  there  would  be  "  a 
Babel  of  religions,"  and  confusion  of  discipline. 

In  replying  to  this  objection,  we  stop  not  to  in- 
quire into  the  validity  of  the  right  which  many 
Churches  exercise,  iu  elevating  a  number  of  rites 
and  observances  in  thoir  forms  of  worship  into 
essentials,  Avhich  in  primitive  times  would  have 
been  accounted  secondary,  and  left  to  every  man's 
conscience  to  practise  or  not,  as  his  judgment  de- 
termined, and  then  holding  those  to  be  walicing 

disorderly  who  will  not  observe  them.    It  must  be 
13* 


loO  THE  AGE-qUESTION;  OB, 


evident  that,  as  ive  do  not  advocate  a  complete 
amalgamation  of  denominations,  every  Christian 
would  naturally  connect  himseTf  with  that  par- 
ticular denomination  with  whose  sentiments  on 
the  points  mentioned  his  own  coincided.  Even 
granting,  however,  that,  from  the  infirmity  of 
human  nature,  there  may  be  some  danger  of  these 
minor  diflferences  producing  strife  and  confusion, 
these  unhappy  consequences  will  not  follow,  pro- 
vided the  members  of  the  Church  attend  to  the 
inspired  injunctions  and  expostulations,  delivered 
for  the  very  purpose  of  regulating  their  conduct 
in  reference  to  such  differences.  "  Him  that  is 
weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye,  but  not  to  doubtful 
disputations.  And  thou,  why  dost  thou  judge  thy 
brother  ?  and  thou,  why  dost  thou  set  at  nought 
ihy  brother  ?"  Let  these  Apostolic  directions 
and  cautions  be  attended  to,  and  not  only  will  the 
evil  apprehended  from  diversities  of  opinion  be 
averted,  but  these  diversities,  though  painful,  and, 
in  some  respects,  prejudicial,  will  produce  good  as 
well  as  evil.  They  will  promote  the  humility,  the 
faith,  and  the  love  of  those  among  whom  they  are 
tolerated,  for  they  will  check  that  propensity  to 
dictation  and  tyranny  in  religion  which  seems 
natural  to  man,  they  will  turn  the  attention  of  the 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  151 


Church  from  things  comparatively  insignificant 
to  those  vital  truths  which  form  "the  core  of  the 
Gospel,"  and  to  the  truths  immediately  contiguous 
to  these,  and  thus  they  will  augment  knowledge, 
invigorate  faith,  and  produce  holiness.  In  regard 
to  discipline  of  occasional  communicants,  see  the 
preceding  clause  of  this  Chapter. 

We  notice  no  more  objections.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  do  so.  They  all  strike  us  as  futile  and 
inapt.  They  cannot  stand  for  a  moment  under 
the  Saviour's 

"Holy  prayer, 
His  tcndercst  and  His  last " — 

"  That  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou.  Father,  art 
in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in 
us :  that  the  world  may  ])clieve  that  Thou  hast 
sent  me."  It  is  high  time  for  God's  dear  people, 
instead  of  searching  for  reasons  to  justify  them  in 
keeping  apart,  to  awake  to  the  folly,  mingled  with 
guilt,  of  magnifying  the  separating  bars  between 
them,  while  they  are  minifying  the  bands  which 
should  make  them  cohere.  It  is  high  time  for  them 
to  yield  more,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  to  the  cen- 
tripetal, and  less  to  the  centrifugal,  force  which  is 
bearing  upon  them,  and  thus  approximating  their 
common  centre,  they  would  come  nearer  to  one 


152 


TEE  AGE-qUESTIOR;  OR, 


another.  It  is  a  remark  of  Leibnitz,  with  -which 
some  philosophers  have  been  much  delighted,  that 
"  Truth  is  more  generally  diffused  in  the  world  than 
is  commonly  imagined,  but  it  is  too  often  disguised, 
and  even  corrupted,  by  an  alloy  of  error,  which 
conceals  it  from  notice,  or  impairs  its  utilitj'." 
How  far  this  remark  will  apply  to  subjects  of 
secular  science  may  admit  of  dispute,  but  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  it  is  peculiarly'  applicable  to 
the  sentiments  entertained  among  genuine  Chris- 
tians respecting  the  A'ital  doctrines  of  religion. 
"What  the  Church  now  mainly  needs,  is  more  of  its 
proper  life  and  essence — love.  "  By  this  shall  all 
men  Iniow  that  j^.e  are  my  disciples,  if  love 
one  another."  Let  charity'  prevail  in  the  degree 
which  the  Scrii^tures  require,  and  the  right  forms 
will  grow  out  of  that,  beneath  the  guidance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  in  the  clear,  constant  light  of  truth 
Divine,  just  as  the  graceful  forms  of  the  trees 
spring  freelj'  from  the  up-oirculating  saj),  the  inde- 
structible spirit  of  life,  beneath  the  pervading 
'warmth  and  light  of  the  orb  of  day. 

"  Were  love,  in  these  the  world's  last  doting  years. 
As  freiiueiit  as  the  want  of  it  appears, 
The  Churches  warmed,  they  would  no  longer  hold 
Such  frozen  figures,  stilT  as  they  are  cold, 


A  PLEA  FOE  CnmSTIAN  UNION. 


153 


Relenting  forms  would  lose  their  power,  or  cease, 
And  e'en  the  dipped  and  sprinkled  live  in  peace. 
Each  heart  wonld  quit  its  prison  in  the  breast, 
And  flow  in  free  communion  with  the  rest." 

In  an  address  before  the  Evangelical  Society 
of  Geneva,  the  Rev.  J.  II.  Merle  D'Aubigne,  D.  D., 
whose  praise  is  in  all  the  Churches,  said  :  "  If  the 
countenance  made  the  man,  I  could  understand 
■why  I  should  turn  my  back  upoi^  an  ill-favored 
visage,  but  if  the  man  is  essentially  the  spirit 
which  animates  it,  we  should  not  fear  to  welcome 
the  coarsest  features,  if  behind  them  there  is  a 
living  being  by  whom  they  are  animated  and  en- 
nobled. We  must  be  so  taken  with  the  mj'stical 
body  of  Christ  as  willingly,  in  some  degree,  to 
overlook  its  imperfections."  lie  also  added:  "  If 
it  be  possible,  as  much  as  licth  in  us,  let  there  be 
no  controversy  with  the  brethren  !  Let  Christian 
Union  be  realized,  and  let  us  all  stretch  forth  our 
hands  one  to  another.  Is  not  this  the  language 
which  is  addressed  to  us  by  a  host  of  astonishing 
events,  amidst  which  God  has  placed  us?  What 
will  become  of  the  Church,  surrounded  by  nations 
'  in  a  state  of  restless  agitation — by  society,  a  pre}' 
to  the  most  violent  convulsions  1  What  will 
become  of  it,  if  not  sincerely  united,  according  to 


154 


THE  AQE-QUESTION ;  OE, 


the  will  of  its  Divine  Head  ?  Have  wc  not  one 
Spirit,  one  Lord,  one  Father  ?  Are  we  not  one 
mystical  body  in  Jesus  Christ?"  Who  can  re- 
fuse to  respond  to  these  sentiments  ?  And  who 
can  hesitate  or  fail  to  unite  in  the  fervent  prayer 
with  which  this  eminent  servant  of  God  concluded 
his  Address  ? 

"Head  and  Saviour  of  the  Church,  which  is  Thy 
body !  Thou,  Avho  alone  canst  diffuse  amongst  us 
cordial  affection  I  Ah  !  Lord,  the  Church  has  in- 
deed need  of  a  renewal  of  Thy  presence !  It  is 
needful  that  Thou  shouldst  now  come  to  dwell  in 
the  midst  of  her  with  greater  power,  for  what  will 
become  of  this  bark,  exposed  to  the  fury  of  the 
winds  and  waves,  if  Thou  art  absent  ?  Alpha  and 
Omega,  Root  and  Offspring  of  David,  Bright  and 
Morning  Star,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly  1" 

"Of  all  religious  services,"  says  another  emi- 
nent theologian,  "  there  is  none  better  adapted  to 
nourish  and  express  the  fraternal  affection  of 
Christians  than  the  Lord's  Supper — an  ordinance 
in  which  they  are  required  to  profess  their  attach- 
ment to  all  their  fellow-disciples,  as  M'ell  as  their 
gratitude  to  their  common  Kedeemer  and  Lor(.l. 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  155 


Contemplating  the  ordinance  in  itself,  "we  might 
naturally  expect  that  it  would  be  the  first  in  which 
Christians  would  unite  and  the  last  in  which  they 
would  separate,  for  it  relates  exclusively  to  those 
grand  and  central  facts  and  truths  which  they 
hold  in  common,  and  partakes  in  no  degree  of  a 
sectarian  character.  How  singular,  and  how 
melancholy,  that  by  so  many  religious  denomina- 
tions this  order  of  procedure  has  been  completely 
reversed,  and  that  the  Lord's  Supper,  instead  of 
being  made  a  bond  of  union,  and  a  medium  of  holy 
fellowship  among  all  the  followers  of  the  Lamb, 
has  been  converted  into  a  badge  of  party — a 
centre,  not  of  attraction  and  cohesion,  but  of  di- 
vision and  repulsion  !  How  sinrjular,  and  how 
melancholy,  that  nowhere  are  the  members  of  the 
same  family  so  reluctant  to  meet  together,  as  at 
the  table  of  their  common  Father ;  that  the  privi- 
lege in  which  they  are  mos'  averse  to  unite,  is  the 
participation  of  the  memorials  of  Sis  boundless 
loueJ" 


156 


THE  AGE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


GRACE  BE  TO  ALL  WHO  LOVE  THE  LORD  JESUS 
CHRIST  IN  SINCERITY. 

"Do  you  love  Christ  ?   I  ask  not  if  you  feel 
The  ■warm  excitemeut  of  that  party  zeal, 
Which  follows  on,  while  otliei-s  lead  the  way, 
Aud  make  His  cause  the  fashion  of  the  day  ; 
But  do  you  love  Him  when  His  garb  is  mean, 
Nor  shrink  to  let  your  fellowship  be  seen  ? 

•  Do  you  love  Jesus,  blind,  and  halt,  and  maimed  ? 
In  prison  succor  Him,  nor  feel  ashamed 
To  own  Him,  though  His  injured  name  may  be 
A  mark  for  some  dark  slanderer's  obloquy? 
Do  you  love  Jesus  in  the  orphan's  claim, 
And  bid  the  widow  welcome  in  His  name  ? 
Say  not,  "  Wlien  saw  we  Him  ?"  each  member  dear, 
Poor  and  afflicted,  wears  His  image  hero  ; 
And  if  unvalued,  or  unowned  by  thee, 
Where  can  thy  union  with  the  body  be  ? 
And  if  thou  thus  aii  to  the  body  dead, 
Where  is  thy  life  in  Christ,  the  living  head? 
And  if  dissevered  from  the  living  Vine, 
How  canst  thou  dream  that  thou  hast  hfe  divine? 
Sweet  is  the  union  true  behevers  feel ; 
Into  one  Spirit  they  have  drunk,  the  seal 
Of  God  is  on  their  hearts,  aud  thus  they  see 
In  each  the  features  of  one  family  I 
If  one  is  suftering,  all  the  rest  are  sad, 
If  but  the  least  is  honored,  all  are  glad. 


A  PLEA  FOR  GHBISTIAN  UNION.  157 


The  grace  of  Jesus,  which  they  all  pai-take, 

Flows  out  in  mutual  kindness  for  His  sake ; 

Here  He  has  left  them  for  a  while  to  wait, 

And  represent  Him,  in  their  suQ'ei-ing  state  ; 

While  He,  though  glorified,  as  yet  alone. 

Bears  the  whole  Church  before  the  Father's  throne." 


BANS    FOR    -rROMOTING  LHRIS- 


Opposition  to  auy  well-concocted  scheme  of 
Christian  Union  involves  in  it  great  responsibilit3^ 
It  must  be  left,  of  course,  to  every  one's  judgment 
to  determine,  whether  any  scheme  which  m&y  be 
presented  for  public  approbation  and  support, 
answers  to  this  character  or  not,  and  no  man  can 
be  blamed  for  withholding  his  countenance  from  a 
plan,  or  even  for  opposing  it,  which  appears  to 
him  to  compromise  any  of  the  essential  principles 
of  Divine  Truth,  or  to  be  nothing  more  than  a 
visionary  and  impracticable  speculation.  "  The 
Church,"  as  Dr.  D'Aubiguc  well  says,  "ought  to 
have  a  holy  jealousy  for  the  eternal  truth  of  God, 
for  latitudinariauisrq  is  its  death."    Thai  hostility, 


TIAN 


NION. 


14 


158  THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OR, 


however,  is  to  be  condemned,  which  shows  itself 
in  a  disposition  to  rest  satisfied  with  things  as 
they  are,  a  mind  contented  with  the  present  rela- 
tions and  feelings  of  parties,  a  reluctance  to  do 
any  thing  to  bring  them  nearer  together,  coupled 
with  such  an  aversion  from  the  very  attempt,  as 
leads  to  a  fastidious  and  somewhat  contemptuous 
rejection  of  eve?y  plan  that  may  be  proposed  for 
that  object.  From  what  action,  or  from  what 
expression  of  their  Lord,  is  it,  that  the  opponents 
of  union  feel  authorized  to  treat  it  with  hostility  ? 
Is  it  from  His  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  when  He 
poured  his  benedictions  upon  the  peace-makers, 
and  called  them  the  children  of  God  ?  Is  it  from 
His  frequent  rebukes  to  His  too  litigious  followers? 
Is  it  from  His  conversation  with  the  woman  of 
Samaria,  and  His  labors  on  that  occasion  among 
a  people  hated  and  shunned  by  His  own  kindred  ? 
Is  it  from  His  inimitable  parable  of  the  Good 
Samaritan  ?  Is  it  from  His  reproof  of  the  distem- 
pered zeal  of  His  disciples,  who  would  have  stopped 
the  man  that  cast  out  demons,  because  he  followed 
not  them  ?  Is  it  from  His  forbearance  with  His 
Apostles  under  their  cloud}^  apprehensions  of  His 
doctrine  and  His  will,  their  impure  motives,  and 
their  defective  sanctity  ?  Is  it  from  that  touching 


A  PLEA  FOE  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


159 


intercessional  petition,  when  the  agony  of  His 
laboring  heart  found  relief  in  a  burst  of  impor- 
tunate supplication  for  the  unity  of  His  Church? 
Will  men  take  knowledge  of  us,  that  we  have  been 
with  Jesus  in  these  scenes  of  His  ministry,  and 
have  listened  to  those  gracious  words  that  have 
flowed  from  His  lips,  till  we  have  caught  His  own 
spirit  and  have  been  moulded  into  His  image,  if 
we  are  not  only  indifferent  but  opposed  to  visible 
union  ?  Will  such  hostility  identify  us  most  closely 
and  most  obviously  with  Him  who  came  to  make 
us  all  one  in  Himself? 

Let  us  see,  then,  how  we  may  Dest  promote  this 
union. 

I.  We  should  beware  of  Self-love. 

Tliis  is  too  often  the  real  source  of  our  divisions, 
when  love  to  truth  is  their  pretended  cause.  If 
St.  Paul  could  say  of  fellow-believers  in  his  time, 
"They  all  seek  their  own,"  how  much  more  may 
this  be  said  of  dcgcneiate  believers  in  our  days? 
Who  can  tell  all  the  mischief  done  by  this  ungen- 
erous and  base  transfer  ?  Who  can  declare  all  tho 
mysteries  of  error  and  iniquity,  which  stand  upon 
the  despicable  foundation  of  the  little  words,  /,  me, 


160  THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OB, 

and  mine'?  Could  we  see  the  secret  inscriptions 
which  the  Searcher  of  hearts  can  read  upon  the 
first  stones  of  our  little  Babels — my  chapel,  my 
party,  my  congregation,  my  connections,  my  popu- 
larity, my  hope  of  being  esteemed  by  my  partisans, 
my  fear  of  being  suspected  by  them,  my  jealousy 
of  those  who  belong  to  the  opposite  party,  my 
S3'stem,  my  favorite  opinions,  my  influence,  &c., 
&c.,  how  should  we  be  disgusted  with  the  sight ! 
To  all  those  egotisms  let  us  constantly  oppose 
those  awful  words  of  our  Lord  :  "  Except  a  man 
deny  himself,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple."  Till 
we  cordially  oppose  our  inordinate  attachment 
to  our  own  interest,  we  "  sacrifice  to  our  own  net, 
in  our  public  duties,  and  even  when  we  'preach 
Christ,'  it  is  to  be  feared  that  we  do  it  more  'out 
of  contention,'  than  out  of  a  real  concern  for  His 
interest." 

II.  We  should  remember  that  Christian  Union  mu^t 

be  based  on  large  mutual  concessions. 

» 

There  are  some  good  men  who  are  content  to 
remain  apart  from  their  fellow-Christians  because 
every  thing  is  not  perfect  among  them.  They 
Bay  we  must  be  first  pu7-e,  then  peaceable.  But 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  161 


Tfliat  is  the  purity  here  meant  ?  If  we  are  to  wait 
until  the  process  of  purification  shall  become 
something  like  a  perfect  work  before  we  think  of 
peace,  then  we  may  rest  assured  that  i)eace  will 
never  come.  Men  thus  express  themselves  as  the 
consequence  of  magnifying  some  immediate  matters 
of  debate,  and  from  not  being  able  to  see  the 
questions  bej-ond  these  immediate  questions  which 
will  naturally  arise,  and  become  equally  great  in 
their  turn.  Every  age  will  have  its  gi'eat  questions. 
To  wait  until  these  are  done  with  would  be,  from 
all  appearance,  to  wait  until  the  world  is  done 
with.  We  admit  that  where  there  is  to  be  peace 
there  must  be  purity ;  but  the  conclusion  is  not 
admissible  in  the  extent  supposed  in  this  objection. 
What  is  needed — needed  as  the  great  deed  befit- 
ting the  manhood  of  the  Church — is,  that  we  should 
resolve  on  union,  notwithstanding  differences ;  that 
we  should  know  how  to  debate  these  differences 
freely  and  earnestly,  and  how  at  the  same  time 
to  be  one,  on  the  ground  on  which  we  are  really 
united.  In  fact,  it  is  only  by  unity  on  the  basis 
of  the  things  upon  which  we  are  agreed,  that  we 
can  hope  to  reduce  the  things  on  which  we  difler, 
to  a  smaller  compass.    Tlio  man  who  sees  upon 

the  largest  scale  how  much  of  the  uot-Cliristian 
14* 


1G3 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


may  be  allied  with  the  reallj'  Christian,  and  who 
can  give  the  full  homage  of  his  heart  to  that  real 
Christianity  notwithstanding,  that  is  the  man  who 
has  made  the  nearest  api)roach  towards  the  state 
of  intejlect  and  feeling  which  would  seem  to  be  the 
highest  attainment  possible  to  the  Church  of  Christ 
in  this  imperfect  world.  This  is  the  comparatively 
untrodden  path,  still  open  to  all  Christians.  But 
to  be  trodden  successfully  it  must  be  trodden  with 
a  firm  step,  with  a  clear  and  honest  meaning,  with 
a  meaning  which  shall  be  felt,  not  onl}'  on  plat- 
forms, or  in  great  meetings,  but  in  all  the  nearer 
relations  of  our  neighborhoods  and  homes. 


III.  Christians  of  different  denominations' shonld 
cultivate  acquaintance  with  one  another. 

Before  Joseph  was  made  known  to  his  brethren, 
they  suspected  and  dreaded  him ;  when  he  was 
made  known,  they  embraced  each  other  and  wept. 
There  are  manj^  now  standing  apart,  perhaps  under 
the  power  of  prejudice,  Avho,  were  the}'  known  to 
each  other  as  the  Lord  knows  them,  and  in  their 
true  character,  would  make  the  joyful  discovery 
that  the}'  are  Christian  brethren,  embrace  one  an- 
other, be  surprised  and  delighted  to  find  how  much 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  163 


they  resemble  each  other,  and  with  tears  wash 
awa^'  the  rememblance  of  their  bitter  jealousies. 
Like  David,  we  should  say :  "  I  am  a  companion  of 
ALL  them  that  fear  thee,  and  of  them  that  keep 
thy  precepts." 

IV.  Social  intercourse  among  all  classes  of  true 
Christians  should  be  promoted. 

Each  class  has  hitherto  too  much  had  its  brazen 
wall  around  it.  But  our  Lord  broke  down  the 
wall  between  Jews  and  Gentiles,  a  wall  of  preju- 
dices infrangible  to  any  inferior  power.  Each 
Christian  now  should  make  haste  to  break  down 
his  wall,  and  come  forth  to  meet  his  brother. 
Every  wall  should  be  broken  down  which  does  not 
form  a  necessary  fortification  of  an  essential  truth. 
Christiaijity  has  a  magnetic  influence.  Let  two 
men  meet,  most  unlike  in  every  respect  except 
faith  in  Christ  and  love  to  God  and  men,  and  they 
will  be  drawn  to  each  other  as  brethren  of  one 
heart  and  one  mind.  Their  hearts  will  vibrate 
together  at  the  touch  of  the  same  chord.  Social 
intercourse  among  Christians  who  differ,  besides 
removing  prejudices,  and'  leading  to  the  mutual 
discovery  of  an  identical  Clu'istianity  on  both  sides, 


164  THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OB, 

would  also  afford  an  opportunity  for  charitable 
discussion  on  their  points  of  difference,  by  which, 
it  may  not  be  doubted,  many  of  these  would  be 
removed, — at  least  such  as  spring  from  a  miscon- 
struction of  each  other's  sentiments,  and  a  mutual 
misunderstandinor.  It  might  be  found  that  in 
many  things  they  differ,  but  are  not  opposed.  In 
many  things,  also,  they  only  seem  to  differ.  In 
some  cases  those  who  differ  may  each  be  for  the 
truth,  but  for  a  different  portion  of  the  truth. 
One,  perhaps,  thinks  himself  an  Arminian,  because 
he  stoutly  insists  on  the  duties  of  man  in  reference 
to  salvation,  as  in  seeking  it  and  using  the  ap- 
pointed means ;  another,  perhaps,  thinks  himself 
a  Calvinist,  because  he  as  stoutly  insists  that  the 
Ijower  of  God  is  necessary  in  order  to  begin  and 
consummate  the  work  of  salvation  in  the  soul. 
Each  is  right  as  far  as  he  goes,  but  it  would  re- 
quire the  views  of  both  to  be  united  to  constitute 
orthodoxy. 

V.  Chrislians  should  i')ray  for  Union. 

"We  need  the  voice  of  ITim  who  can  sa}"^  to  human 
passion  and  religious  prejudice,  "Peace,  be  still!" 
In  vain  do  we  make  an  appeal  to  the  religious 


A  FLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNIOJS'.  1G5 


bodies  themselves  to  come  to  a  better  state  of 
feeliiij^,  if  we  stoi)  there.  The  storms  that  are  still 
raging  roiiiid  the  barque  of  the  tempest-tossed 
Church  will  no  more  yield  to  the  voice  of  argument 
or  persuasion  from  men,  tiian  would  the  winds  and 
the  waves  of  the  sea  of  Galilee  have  sul^mitted  to 
the  command  of  the  affrighted  /Jisciples.  What 
saved  them  ?  That  which  saved  us,  if  we  are  saved 
at  all.  The}'  awoke  tlie  sleeping  Saviour  by  the 
prayer  of  faith,  and  in  answer  to  their  importunate 
supplication  the  calm  supervened.  He  is  still 
on  Ijoard  His  weather-beaten  vessel,  and  though 
not  asleep,  is  waiting  to  be  asked  to  put  forth  His 
tranquillizing  power.  Let  the  whole  Church,  having 
fir.st  deeply  humbled  itself  for  its  sins  of  alienation, 
division,  uncliaritableness,  and  unbrotherly  feeling, 
go  to  Him  in  the  earnestness  and  in  the  prayer  of 
faitii  for  a  fresh  outpouring  of  His  Spirit  of  light, 
love,  holiness,  and  peace.  He  only  waits  to  be 
asked,  so  to  replenish  us  with  His  benediction  as 
to  malce  Zion  a  quiet  and  peacealile  habitation. 
It  was  when  the  harmonies  of  voices  and  of  hearts 
ascended  to  heaven  at  the  dedication  of  the  Tem- 
ple, that  the  cloud  of  the  Divine  glory  came  and 
filled  the  house.  It  was  wlien  tlie  disciples  were 
met  together  in  one  place  and  with  one  accord,  to 


166  TEE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


make  their  common  supplications  known,  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  came  down  in  coronets  of  fire  on 
their  heads,  and  filled  the  place  where  the};-  were 
sitting.  The  breath  of  prayer  is  the  atmosphere  in 
which  the  Spirit  comes  to  hover  over  His  Church, 
and  shed  dealing  from  His  wings.  That  Divine 
agent  can  set  all  things  right.  He  can  cause  us 
to  see  and  to  feel  alike ;  He  can  exjDel  from  our 
minds  all  error,  from  our  hearts  all  pride,  preju- 
dice, and  passion,  and  so  fill  us  with  meekness, 
love,  and  tender  forbearance,  that  we  shall  be  irre- 
sistibly drawn  towards  each  other,  and  be  enabled 
to  bring  about  far  more  than  the  visible,  formal 
Union  we  now  seek.  He  is  able  to  do  exceedingly 
abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or  think. 

VI,  Christians  should  betvare  of  every  thing  in  dis- 
position and  conduct  fitted  to  prove  an  impedi- 
ment to  Christian  Union. 

They  ought  to  guard  against  misconceiving  or 
misstating  each  other's  opinions,  imiieaching  each 
other's  motives,  or  prosel3'ting  in  relation  to  the 
members  of  each  other's  churches.  They  should 
beware  of  every  thing  calculated  to  grieve  the 
Holy  Spirit.  "Let  us  forbear  one  another  in 
love."  "  Be  ye  kind  to  one  another,  tcndcr-licarted, 
forgiving  one  another,  as  Christ  has  forgiven  you." 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  167 


VII.^  Chrhtians  should  remember  that  most  of  the 
points  of  difference  between  the  various  Evangeli- 
cal Denominations  are  comparatively  unimportant. 

This  point,  though  referred  to  before,  may  be 
noticed  again.  A  dispute  is  said  to  have  once 
arisen  on  the  question  whether  when,  in  the  insti- 
tution of  the  Lord's  Suj^per,  our  Saviour  said, 
"  This  is  my  body,"  He  lifted  the  bread  from  the 
table  or  simply  laid  His  band  upon  it,  and  which 
mode  was  binding,  indispcnsabl}'-,  in  our  observance 
of  that  ordinance.  The  contest  waxed  fiercer,  the 
parties  finally  split  into  two  sects,  bearing  sever- 
ally the  titles  of  "  lifters  "  and  "  anti-lifters  ;"  each 
hurling  perdition  at  the  opposite  heresy!  Any 
moderately  well-arranged  compend  of  religious 
opinions  will  supply  not  a  few  instances  equally 
ridiculous,  equally  mournful. 

On  any  point  in  which  it  was  designed  that  all 
Ciuistians  should  be,  everywhere,  and  at  all  times, 
bound  as  strictly  as  the  Jews  were  to  the  Levitical 
law,  it  may  be  fairly  concluded  ihcy  would  have  re- 
ceived directions  no  less  precise,  and  descriptions 
no  less  minute,  than  had  J)cen  afforded  to  the  Jews. 
But  there  arc  uo  directions  or  descriptions  in  the 


1G8 


TEE  AOE-qjJESTIOi) ,  OB, 


New  Testament  relating  to  matters  of  form,  like 
those  given  to  the  Jews  in  Leviticus.  It  does  not 
supply  us  with  a  liturgy  for  ordinary  public  worship, 
or  with  forms  for  administei'ing  the  sacrament, 
or  conferring  holy  orders,  nor  does  it  give  any 
precise  directions  as  to  these  and  other  ecclesi- 
astical matters.  Fi-om  this  circumstance  maj'  be 
plainly  inferred  the  design  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that 
those  details  concerning  which  no^^precise  direc- 
tions, accompanied  with  strict  injunctions,  are 
given  in  Scripture,  were  meant  to  be  left  to  the 
regulation  of  each  church  in  each  age  and  country. 

The  pauses  which  separate  Christians  are  :  dif- 
ference in  forms,  difference  in  government,  and 
difference  in  doctrinal  vie\vs.  The  question  of 
forms,  as  we  have  just  seen,  is  not  of  vital  import- 
ance. Is  not  this  true  also  of  government  ?  The 
several  forms  of  Church  politj' — the  Episcopal, 
the  Presbyterian,  and  the  Congregational — have 
been,  as  is  well  known,  repeatedly  and  thoroughly 
discussed  by  men  of  the  first  abilities,  diligence, 
and  research,  and  j-et  each  of  these  forms  still 
prevails.  Is  it  not  evident  from  this  fact  that 
there  is  room  for  an  honest  dilforence  of  opinion 
on  this  subject  ?  And  if  this  be  so,  can  that  be 
of  vital  moment  which  has  boon  so  dimly  revealed 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  169 

as  to  jusl^ij'  such  difference  ?  Tet  it  is  mainly 
this  veiy  point — difference  as  to  form  of  Church 
organization — that  is  kee])ing  evangelical  Chris- 
tians apart  in  our  day  This  is  evident  from  the 
fact  that  neither  a  Presbyterian,  nor  a  Congrega- 
tionalist,  nor  an  Episcopal,  nor  a  Methodist,  nor  a 
Baptist,  body,  would  hesitate  to  receive  a  Lutheran 
into  its  fellowship,  or  even  a  minister  into  its  niin- 
isiry,  on  doctrinal  grounds.  If,  indeed,  the  Epis- 
copalian should  reordain,  or  even  rebaptize  him, 
or  the  Baptist  immerse  him,  before  receiving  him 
.  into  communion,  this  would  have  nothing  to  do 
with  doctrine.  The  questions  of  baptism  and  or- 
dination present  the  most  formidable  barriers  to 
Christian  Union.  But  why  should  they  ?  'Is  this 
right  ?  Is  it  warranted  by  the  Word  of  God  ? 
Let  us  suppose  a  case:  Here  is  an  individual 
whom  we  would  receive  as  a  brotlicr,  nay,  admit 
into  the  ranks  of  the  ministr}',  if  he  had  only  been 
baptized  and  ordained  after  our  manner.  This 
is  the  only  deficiency  in  his  Christian  character. 
Now.'suppose  he  sees  objections  to  our  form,  or, 
at  least,  considers  the  form  by  which  he  was  ad- 
mitted into  his  previous  communion  to  be  equally 
good  and  valid,  and  therefore  refuses  to  be  rebap- 

tizcd  or  reordaiucd.    AVill  this  make  any  diller- 
16 


170 


THE  AOE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


ence  in  his  charactei*  in  the  sight  of  G?ftcl  ?  "Will 
it,  in  the  eyas  of  any  candid,  reasonable  man  ? 
By  what  authorit}^  then,  may  his  scruples  respect- 
ing the  exclusive  propriety  of  our  forms,  be  de- 
clared by  us  to  be  of  such  a  nature  as  to  unfit 
him  for  our  communion,  naj'^,  to  unchristianize 
him  ?  Would  not  such  a  declaration  hy  us  make 
ordination  or  baptism  by  Episcopal  hands,  or  im- 
mersion by  Baptist  hands,  the  most  essential  and 
fundamental  point  of  Christianity?  And  is  this 
in  conformity'  with  the  spirit  and  letter  of  the  New 
Testament  ?  The  right  course  in  this  matter  un- 
doubtedly is,  to  make  nothing  an  essential  of  the 
Gospel  sclieme  of  faith  and  practice,  which  Jesus, 
the  Founder  and  Builder  of  the  Church,  has  not 
made  so.  How  can  any  one  denomination  really 
pretend  that  it  is  right  in  all  things,  and  all  others 
in  error  so  far  as  tbej^  diverge  from  it  ?  Such  a 
pretension  is  manifestly^  forbidden  by  Christian 
humility,  by  a  knowledge  of  human  nature,  and  by 
the  amount  of  talent,  learning,  and  piety  in  all  the 
Churches.  Some  error,  in  all  probability,  is  an 
attribute  of  each  denomination ;  and  if  this  be 
so,  how  can  any  one  make  admission  to  its  min- 
istry or  membership  to  depend  upon  the  reception 
of  every  one  of  its  peculiarities  ?    "  When  James, 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  171 


Cephas,  and  John  perceived  the  grace  that  was 
given  to  vie,"  says  Paul  to  the  Galatians,  "they 
gave  to  me  and  Barnabas  the  right  hand  of  fel- 
lowship." (Gal.  ii.  9.)  Let  Christians  cast  their 
eyes  about  them,  make  themselves  acquainted 
with  the  actual  state  of  things  in  other  evan- 
gelical denominations,  and  then  put  the  questions 
to  themselves  in  serious  earnest :  "  Are  all  these 
men,  whether  self-denj-ing  missionaries,  or  zealous 
and  successful  preachers,  or  exemplar^',  liberal  and 
devoted  members,  under  a  fatal  dchision  ?  Are 
they  not  Christians,  in  the  best  and  highest  sense 
of  the  word?  Do  they  not  love  and  obey  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ?  Are  they  not  successful  in 
building  up  Christ's  kingdom  ?  And  has  not  the 
Saviour  acknowledged  them  as  His  followers  by 
the  seal  of  His  grace  and  Spirit  ?"  And  if  the 
answers  which  such  questions  must  receive  do  not 
fill  such  Christians  with  the  spirit  of  fellowship 
and  union,  how  else  can  they  regard  tliemselves 
th:m  as  being  more  particular  as  to  the  evidence 
and  recognition  of  Christian  character  than  Jesus 
Christ  himself  is? 

When  conversing  on  the  subject  of  an  attempt 
to  unite  God's  ministers  and  people  of  various 
names,  John  Foster  once  said :  "  This  cannot  be 


173 


THE  AGE-QUESTTON;  OR, 


done  -while  there  is  so  little  of  the  vital  element 
of  religion  in  the  world,  because  that  is  so  shallow, 
these  inconsiderable  points  stand  so  prominent 
above  the  surface,  and  occasion  obstrnction  and 
mischief;  when  the  powerful  spring-tide  of  piety 
and  mind  shall  rise,  these  points  will  be  swallowed 
up  and  disappear."  It  is  well  known  that  while 
Kome  3'et  warred  upon  the  Reformed  Churches, 
and  they  felt  the  presence  of  a  common  enemy, 
the  common  danger  kept  thera  united,  altiiough 
they  differed  much  among  themselves.  But  no 
sooner  had  that  fear  subsided,  than  each  began 
selfishly-  to  build  ^p  a  part}'  or  national  interest. 
Then  Ephraira  began  to  envy  Judah,  and  Judah 
to  vex  Ephraim ;  then  the  common  cause  was  for- 
gotten in  the  private  peculiarities.  All  have  ob- 
served how  something  like  this  etfect  is  produced 
by  death.  Let  a  member  of  anj'  one  of  the  evan- 
gelical denominations,  whose  life  has  exhibited  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,  die,  and  neither  the  ministers 
or  members  of  the  other  denominations,  who  were 
witnesses  of  his  walk  and  conversation  as  becom- 
ing godliness,  hesitate  to  admit  that  he  has  en- 
tered into  the  rest  that  remaineth  for  the  people  of 
God.  WI13'  is  this  ?  Why  is  it  that,  mucii  as  men 
muydiller  about  the  essentials  of  religion,  when 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  173 


iu  healtli,  or  when  their  neighbors  are  in  health, 
they  so  modify  their  views  when  death  is  seen 
approaching  them,  or  is  known  to  have  termi- 
nated the  earthly  career  of  others?  Why  is  it 
that  points  of  difference  between  Christians— so 
much  fomented,  magnified,  and  insisted  on  with 
exclusive  pertinacity,  in  the  pulpit,  the  religious 
newspaper,  and  the  monthly  or  quarterly — are  not 
heard  in  the  counsels  and  prayers  of  the  sick 
room,  or  in  the  burial-service  at  the  grave-side  ? 
Tlie  reason  is  obvious :  death  produces  an  atmo- 
sjjhere  in  which  nothing  but  the  essentials  of  true 
piety  strike  the  eye  as  having  any  importance 
deserving  to  be  recognized  in  view  of  such  an 
event,  bringing,  as  it  does,  the  awful  verities  of 
eternity  so  near  as  to  cover  with  their  shadow 
the  needless  ditfercnces  of  time.  We  have  never 
known  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  to  introduce  tlie 
peculiarities  of  his  denomination  in  conversing 
witli  a  man  dying,  or  in  interring  him  when  dead. 
But  why  should  not  ii  minister  do  this,  if  such 
peculiarities  are  essentials  ?  And,  if  they  are  not 
essential,  why  should. they  be  introduced  anij- 
where,  or  at  any  time — 'espcciall}',  why  should 
they  be  permitted  to  divide  tlie  body  of  Christ? 

The  venerable  Archibald  Alexander,  D.  D.,  of  the 

lis* 


174 


THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  when  dying,  said : 
"  My  theology  is  comprised  in  this,  that  Jesua 
Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners."  Oh, 
how  many,  as  they  have  neared  the  Jordan,  and 
heard  the  roar  of  its  waters,  have  felt  themselves 
more  than  readj'  to  drop  every  thing  but  what 
is  necessary  to  save  the  soul  !  Lord  Bacon,  in 
an  essay  on  TJuit3Mn  Religion,  sa3's:  "Both  those 
extremes  (the  extremes  of  party  zeal  and  luke- 
warmness)  are  to  be  avoided,  which  will  be  done 
if  the  league  of  Christians,  penned  by  our  Saviour 
himself,  were,  in  the  two  cross  clauses  thereof, 
soundly  and  plainly  expounded.  '  He  that  is  not 
with  us,  is  against  us and,  again,  '  He  that  is 
not  against  us,  is  with  us that  is,  if  the  points 
fundamental,  and  of  substance  in  religion,  were 
trul^'  discerned  and  distinguished  from  points  not 
merely  of  faith,  but  of  opinion,  order,  or  good 
intention.  Men  ought  to  take  heed  of  rending 
God's  Chui'ch  by  two  kinds  of  conti'oversics.  The 
one  is,  when  the  matter  of  the  point  controverted 
is  too  small  and  light,  nor  worth  the  heat  and 
strife  about  it,  kindled  only  by  contradiction,  for, 
as  it  is  noted  by  one  of  the  fathers,  Christ's  coat 
indeed  had  no  seam,  but  the  Church's  vesture  was 
of  divers  colors,  whereupon  he  saith,  '  in  veste 


A  PLEA  FOR  GERISTIAN  UNION.  175 


varietas  sit,  scissura  non  sit,''  they  be  two  things — 
unity  and  conformity.  The  other  is,  when  the 
matter  of  the  point  is  great;  but  it  is  driven  to 
an  over-great  subtilty  and  obscurity,  so  that  it 
becometh  a  thing  rather  ingwiioas  than  substan- 
tial." "  Let  us  all  consider,"  says  the  Rev.  J. 
Angell  James,  "  what  it  is  that  justifies,  sanctifies, 
comforts,  and,  in  fact,  saves  us  ;  what  it  is  that  is 
the  satisfactory  evidence  of  our  salvation ;  what 
it  is  that  unites  us  to  Christ,  and  binds  us  to  the 
heart  of  God ;  what  it  is  that  enables  us  to  over- 
come the  world,  and  to  set  our  affections  on  things 
above  :  and  we  shall  find  it  is  not  Episcopacy, 
Presbyterianism,  Independency,  or  Baptism.  How 
little  do  these  things  avail  us  when  guilt  presses 
upon  the  conscience,  or  care  corrodes  the  heart, 
or  sorrow  drives  sleep  from  the  eyes,  or  death  de- 
prives us  of  our  friends,  or  the  last  enemy  lays 
his  cold  hand  upon  our  frame.  DcJ  we,  in  such 
scenes  and  seasons,  betake  ourselves  to  these 
lessor  matters  for  comfort,  or  to  the  essential  and 
glorious  truths  of  our  common  salvation  ?  It  is 
'because  we  are  believers  in  Christ  Jesus  that  we 
feel  ourselves  safe  for  eternity ;  and  this  safety 
we  cannot  but  concede  to  our  brethren  of  all  or- 
thodox sects,  as  truly  and  as  confidently  as  we 


176  TEE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


feel  it  for  ourselves.  Let  us,  then,  keep  within 
sight  of  the  cross  by  dwelling  more  upon  the 
essential  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  and  look  upon 
our  brethren  ©f  other  denominations  as  assembled 
with  us  round  that  common  centre  of  attraction, 
and  partaking  with*us  in  all  the  gracious  efforts 
and  eternally  glorious  results  of  that  great  sacri- 
fice which  is  there  presented  to  our  view.  There 
should  be  in  us  such  an  ineffable  delight  in  all 
the  fundamental  truths  of  Christianity,  such  an 
exaltation  of  their  glory  and  importance,  as  shall 
make  us  determined  to  know  nothing  among  men 
but  Jesus  Christ  and  Him  crucified." 


yill.  Christians  should  remember  the  intimacy  of 
the  relation  they  sustain  towards  one  another. 

Paul  gives  a  reason,  such  as  mere  ethical  philo- 
sophy never  dreamed  of,  why  Christians  should  not 
speak  or  act  to  the  injury  of  their  fellow-Chris- 
tians, and  that  is,  "  We  are  members  one  of 
another ;"  that  is,  we  are  parts  of  the  same  body. 
Now,  if  this  oneness  were  a  mere  figure  of  speech, 
it  would  have  no  force  as  a  reason  to  enforce  such 
a  duty.  It  has,  then,  a  substantial  basis.  Christ's 
l^ody — the  Church — is  bound  together  with  some- 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  177 


thing  more  than  rhetorical,  imaginary  ligaments. 
Its  oneness  is  a  oneness  of  life.  As  the  vital 
juice  of  the  vine  is  one  for  the  stock  and  all  its 
branches,  so  all  Christians,  as  members  of  Christ's 
bod}^,  have  one  common  life  with  Christ,  and  of 
course  with  all  other  Christians.  So  that  whatever 
we  do  to  the  injury-  of  the  spiritual  life  of  other 
Christians,  we  do  to  the  injury  of  our  own.  If 
we  chafe  and  mar  one  branch  of  a  tree,  we  make 
outlets  and  wastes  of  the  vital  juice  of  the  whole. 
If  we  spread  a  canker  or  a  blight  upon  one 
branch,  we  pollute  the  fountain  of  life  for  the 
whole.  So  of  the  branches  of  which  Christ  is  the 
stock — if  we  bruise,  break,  or  hew  them,  we  occa- 
sion a  waste  of  sap  and  life  to  contiguous  branches. 

Tliis  fact  gives  high  enforcement  to  all  acts  of 
mutual  charity  and  tenderness  among  Christians. 
It  binds  us  to  regard  Christian  character  and  feel- 
ing as  some  sacred  thing,  to  be  touched  with  ten- 
derness, because  we  are  members  one  of  another 
— because  a  wound  upon  a  fclIow-Chri.stian  is 
violence  done  to  our  own  spiritual  life.  This  is  the 
stock  and  centre  of  all  the  reasons  why  we  should 
study  the  things  which  make  for  peace,  and  things 
whereby  one  may  edify  another. 


178 


THE  AGE-qUESTION J  OR, 


IX.  As  closely  connected,  icith  what  immediately 
jorecedes,  we  remark  that  it  is  e'xceedingly  desira- 
ble that  each  Chrislian  should  cultivate  the  habit 
of  regarding  himself  as  one  of  the  family. 

The  bi-otlicrs  and  sisters  of  a  ■well-ordered 
family  understand  this  feeling  very  Tvell — it  is 
habitual  with  them.  They  have  one  common  in- 
terest, and  are  bound  together  b}'  their  afiection 
for  their  parents.  No  one  thinks  of  appropriating 
to  himself  any  more  than  his  own  share  of  the 
home  comforts.  No  one  wants  to  be  commended 
at  the  expense  of  the  rest.  They  are  accustomed 
to  being  treated  alike,  and  never  wish  to  have  it 
otherwise.  If  one  has  any  particular  jo}-  or  sor- 
row, the  rest  share  with  him.  They  make  allow- 
ance for  each  other's  defects,  and  "forgive  and 
forget."  Each  one,  perhaps,  has  his  ijarticular 
tastes  and  occupations,  but  thej'  are  never  suffered 
to  interfere  with  the  general  comfort  and  conve- 
nience. Their  principal  happiness  grows  out  of 
their  love  to  their  parents  and  each  other.  Let 
us,  then,  look  on  the  members  of  "the  household 
of  faith"  in  this  light.  Let  us  mix  ourselves  up 
with  them  till  that  rich  word  "  tue"  shall  come  more 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  179 


naturally  to  our  lips  than  "/."  Let  us  completely 
identify  ourselves  with  them,  and  strive  to  have  no 
separate  interest.  The  Bible  says :  "  Look  not 
every  man  on  his  own  things,  but  every  man  also 
on  the  things  of  others."  Perhaps  each  member 
of  the  household  is  as  dear  to  our  Father  as  we 
are,  therefore  let  us  take  the  same  interest  in  their 
salvation  that  we  do  in  our  own.  It  will  be  equally 
glorious  to  God — equally  gratifying  to  "  that 
mighty  heart  of  love." 


X.  Every  Christian  should  work  for  Union. 

The  subject  must  be  taken  up,  not  only  \>y  all 
parties,' but  by  all  persons.  It  must  come  upon 
the  individual  conscience  of  every  Christian  as 
his  duty,  according  to  his  station  and  measure  of 
influence  to  promote  it.  We  ought  not  to  sink 
ourselves  and  our  personal  obligations  in  the  mass. 
It  is  every  one's  concern.  All  the  great  interests 
which  arc  hindered  by  our  divisions,  or  aided  by 
our  agreements,  belong  to  each  of  us — the  edifica- 
tion of  the  Church,  the  credit  of  religion,  and  the 
moral  improvement  of  the  world.  We  must  not 
stand  gazing  at  this  work,  saying,  "  Who  shall  do 
it  ?"  but  must  say,  "  Here  la  something  for  me  to 


180 


TEE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


do."  It  is,  indeed,  the  becoming  dutj-  of  Christian 
ministers  to  promote  union  ;  their  responsibility  in 
this,  as  well  as  in  every  other  subject  connected 
Avith  true  religion,  is  truly  tremendous,  and  God 
Avill  require  this  matter  at  their  hands.  It  is  they 
who  kindle  or  quench  the  flames  of  contention, 
that  strengthen  or  relax  the  bonds  of  union,  that 
alienate  or  conciliate  the  aflcctions  of  the  brethren. 
The  power  of  the  pulpit  and  the  influence  of 
ministerial  example  are  prodigious.  If  the  pastors 
could  be  brought  to  associate,  the  flocks  would 
instantly  follow ;  and  it  is  a  solemn  and  a  serious 
consideration  for  those  to  whom  the  Saviour  has 
granted  an  oflice  of  sucli  influence,  whether  they 
can  best  discharge  its  duties  by  perpetuating  or 
licaling  the  wounds  of  the  Universal'  Church.  If 
the  chord  of  charity  were  struck  by  a  firm  and 
skilful  hand  in  the  pulpit  from  time  to  time,  it 
would  produce  an  instant  vibration  through  the 
whole  congregation,  and  the  words  of  jDeace  going 
from  thence  would  be  returned  in  read3'  and  jo3^- 
ful  echoes  b}^  the  listening  hearers.  Tlie  minister 
of  religion  cannot  be  full}'  acting  out  his  duty  as  a 
servant  of  Christ,  unless  he  is  a  promoter  of  peace, 
and  doing  all  he  can  to  harmonize  the  discordant 
elements  of  the  Christian  Church.    His  ministry 


A  PLEA  FOE  GnmSTIAN  UNION.  181 

is  empliaticall}'  one  of  reconciliation,  and  lie  has 
mistaken  his  commission  if  he  be  emplojdng 
himself  in  any  way  that  is  opposed  to  this,  or  even 
if  he  be  neglecting  it.  But  Christian  Union  belongs 
not  to  ministers  only ;  it  should  press  upon  the 
conscience  of  every  one  of  their  hearers.  No  man 
is  doing  his  whole  duty  as  a  Christian  who  is  doing 
nothing  to  repair  the  breaches  in  the  walls  of  Zion. 
On  the  return  of  the  J ews  from  captivity,  it  was  thus 
the  desolation  of  Jerusalem  was  removed.  Nchc- 
miah  appointed  ollicers  and  master  builders,  but, 
ill  addition  to  this,  "the  people 'ha.^  a  mind  to 
work,"  and  "we  returned  all  of  us  to  the  wall," 
said  the  historian,  "every  one  o^"  us  to  his  work." 
liCt  us,  then,  not  wait  for  otiiers,  nor  suspend 
our  cH'orts  till  we  can  get  them  to  co-operate 
with  us,  I)ut  let  each  denomination,  each  minis- 
ter, each  individual  Christian,  commence  the  work 
of  pacification,  and  tlie  alteinpt  to  unite  the  peo- 
ple of  God.  "  Let  us  eacli  do  our  part,  so  as  we 
may  be  able  to  sa}',  Per  ifie  nan  slelit,  it  was  not 
my  fault,  but  Christians  iiad  boon  more  combined 
and  entirely  one  witli  eacli  other,  but  they  had 
been  more  thoroughly  Christian,  and  more  en- 
tirely united  with  (jiod  in  Chri.st,  that  (Miristianity 

had  not  iieen  a  more  powerlul,  lively,  amiable  and 
IG 


183 


TEE  AQE-QUESTION ;  OB, 


awful  thing.  If  the  Christian  communit}-  moulder 
and  decay,  be  enfeebled,  broken,  dispirited,  and 
mined  in  great  part,  this  ruin  shall  not  rest  under 
my  hand."* 

XI.  In  order  to  a  closer  Union  there  should  be  the 
cultivation  of  more  eminent  Piety. 

It  has  been  well  said  that  a  cold  and  uuinfluen- 
tial  orthodoxj',  which  leaves  us  still  worldly  and 
undevoiit,  however  it  ma}'  give  ns  an  intellectual 
sympathj'  with  each  other,  and  la}'  the  basis  of  a 
courteous  and  general  esteem,  will  do  but  little  in 
the  way  of  drawing  our  hearts  together.  All  who 
have  written  upon  the  subject  of  Christran  Union 
agree  in  the  opinion,  that  it  is  an  increasing  spirit 
of  sincere  and  fervent  piety  that  will  alone  be 
found  equal  to  the  work  of  subduing  our  preju- 
dices, and  conciliating  our  atfcctions.  The 
Apostle's  question,  "  From  whence  come  wars 
and  fightings  among  yo»i?  Come  the}^  not  hence, 
eA'en  of  your  lusts,  that  war.  in  your  members  ?" 
shows  the  cause  of  divisions,  and  suggests  the  na- 
ture of  the  remedy.  The  contentions  in  the  Church 
flow  from  the  same  source  as  those  of  the  world. 


*  llowu  ou  Uuion  .'uiioiig  Protestants. 


A  PLEA  FO.R  GHRISTIAlf  UNION^  183 


In  our  nature  there  are  j'et  remains  of  corrup- 
tion, mixed  up  with  Divine  seotimeuts  and  holy 
affections,  and  thus,  in  ever3^  heart,  there  are  prin- 
ciples of  affinity  and  repulsion.  Grace  attracts 
grace,  and  corruption  repels  it ;  in  proportion  as 
grace  prevails  over  corruption,  it  ■will  be  drawn 
towards  its  corresponding  principle  in  other 
hearts,  while  on  the  contrary,  as  corruption 
prevails  over  grace,  it  will  make  the  less 
sanctified  heart  repellant  and  dissocial.  Thus,  as 
piety  becomes  more  purified  and  strengthened, 
it  will  draw,  and  must  of  necessity  draw,  all 
classes  of  Christians  nearer  to  each  othei",  "until 
au  external  and  visible  unity,  as  well  as  an  inter- 
nal one,  shall  be  formed,  and  all  its  expected  re- 
sults shall  be  accomplished.  This  attractive  power 
of  true  .  piety  is  a  law,  the  force  of  which  has 
been  already  in  some  measure  developed  under  • 
various  fornls,  and  is  a  law  which,  when  complete 
in  its  operation,  will  as  surely  bring  around  it  all 
Cliristian  bodies,  and  help  them  in  harmonious 
movements,  as  the  solar  gravitation  will  carry 
round  in  their  full  c^-cle  the  Avhole  s^'stem  of  the 
[)hinets.  The  piety  that  draws  us  nearer  to 
Clirist  must  draw  us  nearer  to  each  other,  as 
bodies  tliat  press  closer  to  a  common  centre  press 
closer  at  thf>  oonie  time  to  one  another. 


184     ^      THE  AGE-qUESTIOX ;  OR, 


XII.   Giving  their  due  prominence  to  the  vital 
parts  of  religion  will  promote  Christian  Union. 

This  will  make  us  love  with  an  unquenchable  and 
truly  fraternal  affection  all  who  partake  with  us  in 
the  same  views.  "We  shall  feel  toAvai'ds  each  other 
much  as  loyal  regiments  of  soldiers  do  when 
gathering  round  the  national  banner,  who  then 
forget  the  distinctive  emblems  of  their  own 
ensigns,  and  regard  each  other  for  their  attach- 
ment to  that  one  common  emblem  of  their  coun- 
try's^ cause.  Or,  to  borrow  a  more  sacred  allu- 
sion, we,  like  the  different  tribes  of  Israel.arrauged 
and  marching  through  the  wilderness  under  their 
res2:)ective  banners,  yet  all  collected  round  the  Ark 
of  the  Covenant,  shall  ai)pear  lovely  and  venera- 
ble in  each  other's  estimation,  on  account  of  our 
proximity  and  attachment  to  that  S3-stem  ofDi- 
Aine  truth  of  which  the  Jewish  propitiator^'-,  with 
its  Shechinah  and  Cherubims  of  glory,  was  but  a 
•type. 


A  PLEA  FOR  (JHBI16TIAN  UNION. .  185 


XIII.  Hie  cessation  of  Theological  Controversy,  as 
as  at  present  carried  on,  would  greatly  tend  to 
promote  Union. 

It  is  of  the  very  nature  of  controversy  to  find 
and  aggravate  disputes.  Controversialists  seek 
for  points  of  disagreement,  and  not  of  uniformity. 
Whereas  a  cessation  from  controversy,  and  a  walk- 
ing together  so  far  as  agreed,  bring  hearts  to  find 
out  each  other's  virtues,  and  to  feel  that  they  are 
agreed  on  almost  every  point  which  is  worth  con- 
tending for.  Love  will  lead  to  soft  words  and 
kind  actions.  The  angry  foam,  which  forms 
on  the  crest  of  the  raging  billow,  when  it  comes 
to  the  quiet  creek  where  no  wind  blows,  sinks 
down  and  dissolves  into  the  placid  flood.  Di^ 
putcs  change  their  aspect  and  gradually  vanish, 
under  the  peaceful  exercise  of  Cliristian  charity. 
Had  Luther  but  loved  the  brethren  as  he  loved  the 
truth,  many  a  tongue  would  have  been  silenced 
against  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation.  ^Wlien 
lie  called  G^colompadius  the  "black  devil,"  what 
could  ungodly  men  Uiiuk  of  his  religious  principles, 
breathing  out  now  and  then  in  sucli  hot  ami  iras- 
cible language  ?  Some  of  his  fiery  cxprcasions 
16* 


186  TEE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 

the  Romanists  adroitly  snatched  up,  and  hurled 
back  flaming  against  his  noble  cause.  Selfishness 
and  pride  often  animate  religious  disputations 
among  the  friends  of  the  Redeemer.  There  is  a 
loud  call  for  the  abaudoument'of  harsh  and  con- 
temptuous language.  Truth  is  dishonored  by 
railing  instead  of  argument  and  love.  Let  us  all 
fear.  "  Michael,  the  archangel,  when  contending 
■with  the  devil  he  disputed  about  the  body  of 
Moses,  durst  not  bring  against  him  a  railing  accu- 
sation. "*  Intemperate  and  reviling  language  is 
forbidden  by  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  and  by 
Him  who,  when  he  was  "  reviled,  reviled  not  again." 
It  must  not  be  indulged  even  in  disputation  with 
the  great  enemy  of  God  and  man.  It  is  the  duty 
of  all  to  respect  tenderl}-  the  conscientious  cou- 
■v^ctious  of  others,  and  regard  with  charit3'  Chris- 
tian character,  abstaining  on  their  own  part  and 
exempted  on  the  part  of  others,  from  epithets  of 
contumely  and  disdain,  the  "  grievous  words  which 
stir  up  anger." 


*  JuUe  0. 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


18 


RELIGIOUS  COX  TROVERS  T. 


"  Tautsene  animis  ccelestibus  irse.''^ 

Wlien  the  full-throated  people  of  the  air, 
Harmonious  preachers  of  the  sweets  of  love, 
That  midway  range,  as  half  at  home  with  heaven, 
Are  quiring,  with  a  heartiness  of  joy, 
That  the  high-tide  of  song  o'erbrims  the  grove, 
And  far  adown  the  meadow  runs  to  waste  ; 
How  would  the  soul,  there  floating,  loath  to  mark 
Sudden  contention,  shai-p,  discordant  screams, 
From  tliroats  whose  duty  is  a  song ! 

Not  with  less  sure  revolting — ah  !  far  more  ! — 
Curdles  the  blood  when  Christian  brothers  strive, 
And  prostitute  to  wordy  war  the  lips 
Commissioned  to  dispense  "good  will  to  man," 
And  soothe  the  world  with  spoken  kindness,  soft, 
And  fiill  of  melody  as  song  of  birds. 
O,  sad  betrayal  of  tlie  higliest  trust ! 
Heralds  of  peace — to  blow  the  trump  of  strife ; 
Envoys  of  charity — to  sow  the  tares 
Of  hatred  in  a  soil  prepared  for  love. 

Is  this  a  time  for  soldiers  of  the  cross 

To  point  their  weapons  each  at  other's  breast. 

When  the  great  enemy,  the  common  foe, 


188 


THE  AGE-qVESTION;  OB, 


Though  baffled,  unsubdued,  lays  e'er  in  wait 
For  some  unguarded  i^ass,  to  cheat  the  walls 
Not  all  his  dread  artillery  could  breach  ? 
How  is  each  lunge  and  ward  of  tart  reproof 
And  bitter  reijartee — painful  to  friends — 
By  the  Adversary  hailed  with  general  yell 
Of  triumph,  or  derision  1    O,  my  friends  ! 
Believe  me,  lines  of  loving  charity 
Disheai-ten  enemies,  encourage  friends, 
And  woo  enlistments  to  your  ranks  more  sure 
Than  the  best  weapon  of  the  readiest  wit, 
Whose  point  is  venomed  with  the  gall  of  scorn. 

How  wiser,  then,  forbearing  bitterness 

At  paints  of  polity,  or  shades  of  faith, 

That  difl'erent  show  to  different-seeing  eyes. 

To  shun  peii)lexiug  doctrines,  which  the  AU-wiso 

Has  willed  obscure,  and  imitate  His  life ; 

His,  the  meek  Founder  of  our  faith,  who  sowed 

His  earthly  way  with  blessings  as  with  seed ; 

Bearing,  forbearing,  ever  rendering  good ; 

The  Counsellor,  the  Comforter,  the  Friend. 

How  ope  soc'er  His  word  to  various  sense, 

His  life  is  plain,  and  all  that  life  was  love  : 

Be  this  our  guide,  we  cannot  widely  stray. 


A  PLEA  FOR  CnmSTIAN  UNION.  189 


ULTIVATION    OF    THE    jbPIRIT  OF 

Christian  Unity  Urged. 


As  we  look  avouud  us,  what  changes  are  seen  to 
be  now  taking  place  in  various  parts  of  the  globe  ? 

Even  while  we  survej-  the  face  of  things,  the 
scene  is  rapidlj^  shifting  before  the  observing  eye. 
The  political  world  is  in  commotion,  the  civil 
affairs  of  men  are  assuming  new  shapes  and  phases, 
the  literar}-  and  scientific  world  is  also  in  active 
movement ;  all  minds  are  astir,  all  interests  are 
excited,  nothing  is  to  be  taken  for  granted ;  old 
foundations  are  shaken,  and  cn)inions  venerable  by 
time  and  general  acquiescence  are  revived,  and 
modified  or  rejected.  Our  age  is  one  of  action, 
experiment  and  change  ;  and,  to  give  the  greatest 
effect  to  these  causes,  facilities  for  the  intercommu- 
nication of  information  and  ideas  by  the  press  and 
steam  are  multiplied  beyond  the  dreams  of  former 
times.  Europe  is  in  agitation  ;  her  old  principles 
and  habits  are  bctng  shalven,  and  her  communities 
are  seeking  to  be  cast  into  new  Ibrms.  And  this 
unsettled  state  of  things,  together  with  love  of 
change,  and  the  desire  to  ameliorate  their  conditiou, 


190  THE  AOE-qUEBTION ;  OR, 


and  the  ease  of  transition  from  place  to  place,  is 
causing  vast  nmltitudes  from  foreign  ^  shores  to 
overspread  our  country,  who,  with  our  own  people, 
are  extending  the  empire  of  civilization  bej  ond  the 
E.ock3'  Mountains  to  the  western  wave,  and  are 
destined  to  throw  back  upon  our  country  and  the 
•  world  the  effects  of  that  civilization,  of  whatever 
kind  it  maj-  be.  Then,  agam,  Eomauism,  boasting 
of  her  so-called  unity,  is  organized  for  victory, 
and  is  exerting  her  utmost  strength  to  augment 
the  number  of  her  votaries,  and  subjugate  the 
world  to  her  faith.  Infidelity,  too,  in  many  spe- 
cious forms,  is  assailing  our  holy  religion. 

And  is  this  a  time  for  the  followers  of  Jesus  to 
be  divided,  and  yielding  themselves  to  contentions 
and  alienations  in  their  own  ranks  ?  Is  this  a 
time  to  give  additional  point  to  the  sneer  of  Hume, 
that  between  Christian  sects  bitterness  has  in 
general  been  exasperated  in  proportion  as  they 
approach  nearest  to  each  other?  Is  this  a  time  for 
evangelical  denominations  to  hug  their  diffei'ences 
as  if  these  differences^  were  their  religion'?  Oh, 
what  blessed  effects  would  result,  if  no  sectarian 
spirit  any  longer  disturbed  the  exertions  or  hin- 
dered the  prayers  of  the  Church,  and  if,  as  iu  the 
early  days  of  Apostolic  zeal  and  brotherly  love,  in 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  191 


the  fervor  of  her  espousals,  her  children  were 
again  "  of  one  heart  and  one  soul !"  Then  would 
tlie  world's  infidelity  be  undermined,  as  they  said, 
and  w^as  said  of  old,  "  See  how  these  Christians  love 
'  one  another  !"  And  then  would  the  Church  be 
seen  coming  forth  from  the  wilderness  where  it  has 
been  so  long  concealed,  "  terrible''  to  its  enemies, 
"as  an  army  with  banners  the  Lord  would  rise 
upon  it,  and  the  Gentiles  would  come  to  its  light, 
aud  kings  to  the  brightness  of  its  rising.  "  Be- 
hold how  good  and  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to 
dwell  together  in  unity.  It  is  like  the  precious 
ointment  upon  the  head,  that  ran  down  upon  the 
beard,  even  Aaron's  beard,  that  went  down  to  the 
skirts  of  his  garments :  as  the  dew  of  Hermon, 
and  as  the  dews  that  descended  upon  the  moun- 
tains of  Zion  :  for  there  the  Lord  commanded  the 
blessing,  even  life  for  evermore." 

Let,  then,  the  peoi)le  of  God  aim  at  Union. 
Why  should  they  not  ?  Mortifying  as  it  may  be, 
it  is  nevertheless  true,  that  it  is  our  own  will  and 
])leatmTe  to  xcrmifjle  and  divide.  We  have  one 
God,  one  Retle(?bicr,  one  Spirit,  one  Bible,  one 
hope,  one  heaven ;  the  alicimtion  and  strife  arc  all 
our  own.  As  children,  we  qttarrel  in  the  ab.scnco 
of  our  Father,  whose  iuj unctions  wo  have  disre- 


193 


THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


garded  and  fol'gotten.  Jesus  asked  his  disciples, 
"  What  was  it  that  yc  disputed  among  yourselves 
by  the  way  ?"  But  they  held  their  peace.  For  by 
the  way  they  disputed  among  themselves,  who 
should  be  greatest  ?  Have  not  these  discij^les  long 
since  blushed — even'  in  heaven  blushed — that  they 
were  on  earth  so  engaged  in  perverse  disputings  ? 
Oh,  then,  let  us  follow  after  charity  and  things 
wherewith  one  may  edify  another.  Charity  is 
the  brightest  of  the  golden  chain  of  Christian 
graces,  and  strengthens  all  the  rest. 

It  is  time  that  the  character  of  the  controversies 
among  evangelical  Christians  should  be  essentially 
reformed  ;  too  generally  they  are  fraught  with  evil 
to  the  cause  of  our  holy  Christianity.  In  their 
severity  and  acrimony  they  savor  too  little  of  the 
things  which  are  of  God,  and  too  much  of  the  pas- 
sion, prejudice,  and  ambition  of  our  poor  fallen, 
self-seeking  nature.  Let  us  chain  the  war-horses — 
or,  rather,  bind  them  together  with  the  bands  of 
love,  and  harness  them  to  the  chariot  of  salvation. 
Let  the  sturdy  spirits  of  our  great  champions  come 
into  friendly  contact,  be  mingled  in  prayer,  and 
warmed  by  the  flame  of  devotion,  and  then  will  a 
mighty  and  glorious  change  come  over  the  si)irit 
and  prospect  of  the  Churches.    Instead  of  squau- 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  193 


dering  their  strength  in  mutual  hostilities,  let  our 
strong  men  march,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  into  the 
field  of  strife  against  the  embattled  hosts  of  hell ; 
let  them  rally  their  legions  under  the  common  flag 
of  Christianity,  and  shout  for  the  battle.  How 
long  would  it  be  before  the  power  of  Satan  would 
be  broken,  "  and  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and 
the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole 
heaven,"  would  be  "  given  to  the  people  of  the 
saints  of  the  Most .  High,  whose  kingdom  is  an 
everlasting  kingdom,  and  whose  dominions"  would 
"  serve  and  obey  him  ?" 

The  great  and  grand  union  organizations  which 
exist  for  the  establishment  of  Sabbath-schools,  the 
distribution  of  tracts,  and  the  sending  of  Mission- 
aries with  the  bread  of  life  to  the  destitute  and 
dying — what  are  these  but  indubitable  exponents 
of  the  conviction  that  burns  in  the  Christian  heart, 
that  the  Church  ought  to  be  one,  and  expressions 
of  the  ardent  desire  that  glows  in  that  heart, 
that  the  Church  marj  be  one  ?  If  the  unity  of 
the  Church  is  not  to  be  desired,  such  organiza- 
tions, ignoring,  as  they  do,  sectarian  peculiarities, 
ought  not  to  be  patronized.  But  who  would  dare 
allege  this  ?   Let  it  not  be  supposed,  however,  that 

the  platform  and  anniversary  interviews  which 
17 


194 


THE  AOE-qUESTION ;  OB, 


such  institutions  secure  between  the  people  and 
the  ministers  of  God  of  various  denominations, 
however  pleasant  and  profitable  these  interviews 
may  be,  are  to  be  regarded  as  substitutes  for  the 
Christian  Union  which  they  foster  and  foreshadow. 
These  institutions  are  but  the  voice  of  one  crying 
in  the  wilderness,  "  Prepare  y&  the  way  of  the 
Lord,  and  make  his  paths  straight."  Neither 
should  the  interviews  referred  to  be  allowed  to 
satisfy  the  consciences  of  Christians,  as  an  occa- 
sional recognition  sometimes  satisfies  persons  at 
variance.  There  is  something  be.yond  these  frequent 
and  fiiendly  occasions,  which  the  people  of  God 
must  desire  and  seek  after,  and  of  which  they  are 
but  the  first-fruits  and  forerunners.  We  say  "  seek 
after,"  and  we  do  so  with  design,  for  there  are 
many  sincere  followers  of  Jesus,  doubtless,  who 
wish  vaguely  for  the  union  of  Christians,  and  would 
be  pleased  to  see  it  effected,  but  do  not  feel  sulli- 
cient  interest  in  the  matter  to  make  any  exertions 
to  secure  the  result.  How  would  such  a  spirit  be 
regarded  if  existing  in  relation  to  the  conversion 
of  the  world  ?  Not  a  whit  more  excusable  is  it, 
touching  the  interest  now  before  us.  In  neither 
case  will  God  accomplish  the  promised  result  with- 
out the  intervention  of  appropriate  means.  The 


A  PLEA  FOR  CimiSTIAN  UNIQ^.  lOo 


holding  of  union  prayer-meetings ;  the  preaching 
of  union  sermons,  in  which  schism  is  held  forth  as 
not  only  a  calamity,  but  a  sin  ;  the  distribution  of 
union  tracts  and  journals,  occasional  exchange  of 
pulpits  by  evangelical  ministers,  occasional  inter- 
communion by  the  people  of  God,  frequent  and 
fervent  pra3'er  for  the  healing  of  the  divisions  of 
God's  heritage ;  the  manifestation  of  an  interest  by 
one  denomination  in  the  welfare  of  others ;  a  de- 
termination by  preachers  and  peojjle  not  to  magnify 
any  point  of  difference  that  is  not  essential  to 
salvation,  and  that  they  could  not  feel  themselves 
bound  to  press  upon  the  reception  of  a  dying  man, 
or  to  commend  him  for  receiving  when  dead ;  as 
well  as  a  disposition  to  allow  to  others  the  liberty 
in  regard  to  such  things  which  God  himself  allows 
— these  are  measures,  influences,  aud  agencies 
which  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  might  well  be 
expected  to  bless,  for  the  accomplishment  of  a 
purpose  lying  so  near  His  heart. 

Brother !  in  what  direction  shall  your  praj'crs 
be  offered,  and  j  our  eflbrts  bo  put  forth  in  rela- 
tion to  this  great  question  ?  Remember  that  you 
cannot  be  neutral.  You  will  be  counted  either 
with  those  who  say,  "  Let  the  strife  go  on,  and 
the  divisions  be  perpetuated,"  or  with  those  who 


196         .  THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


long  and  labor  that  the  praj'^er  of  Jesus  may  be 
fulfilled — "  that  they  all  may  be  one."  Why  should 
you  hesitate  ?  What  though  the  Church  has  been 
living  in  a  disunited  state  for  hundreds  of  years, 
has  disunion  become  a  duty,  and  ceased  to  be  a 
sin  ?  Does  time  change  the  nature  of  right  and 
wrong?  Are  divisions  now  to  be  borne  with, 
which  once  wrung  the  heart  of  an  Apostle  ?  Did 
the  Saviour  pray  for  a  union  which  is  undesirable  ? 
Is  the  time  never  to  come  when  there  shall  be  one 
Shepherd  and  one  sheepfold,  when  nothing  but 
distance  shall  prevent  the  various  denominations 
from  being  united  into  one  visible  ^ody,  even 
though  they  may  retain  their  peculiar  form  of 
government  and  worship,  and  when  the  same  cer- 
tificate of  Christian  and  ministerial  character  shall 
carry  a  Christian  brother  and  one  of  Christ's  min- 
istering servants  through  aU  the  Churches  on  the 
face  of  the  earth  ?  It  lias,  thus  far,  been  the 
error  of  every  denomination  that  it  has  arro- 
gantly thought  itself  without  spot,  wrinkle,  or 
defect.  Each,  therefore,  is  lifting  itself  with  the 
vain  thought,  that  when  truth  prevails  all  over 
the  earth,  it  shall  be  found  the  pure,  perfect  thing. 
It  is  the  first  crystal  Avhich  has  formed  in  the 
midst  of  the  solution,  and  the  whole  process  of 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  197 


crystalization  is  to  go  on  upon  it,  and  to  be  like  it 
in  shape,  jjurity,  and  color. 

It  is  time  for  this  vain  opinion  to  explode,  and  we 
hope  in  God  it  will  soon  do  so.  We  believe  there  is 
abundant  reason  for  such  a  hope.  The  unity  of  the 
Church  in  the  bonds  of  truth  and  peace  is  no  more 
impossible  to  faith  and  to  prayer,  as  it  is  the  com- 
mand of  God,  than  it  was  impossible  for  Israel  to 
drive  out  the  Canaanites  from  those  cities  which 
were  walled  up  to  heaven,  and  afterwards  to  settle 
peacefully  as  one  great  community  in  the  prom- 
ised land.  Who  will  say  that  it  is  too  sanguine  a 
hope  to  entertain,  too  flattering  a  conception  to 
be  realized,  that  there  might  be  gathered  such  a 
visible  association  of  Christians  as  shall  convince 
the  world  that,  amidst  circumstantial  difference, 
there  is  substantial  agreement,  and  that  beneath 
the  troubled  and  billowy  surfrice  of  the  ocean  of 
religious  opinion,  there  is  still  commingling  an  im- 
measurable depth  of  quiet  water,  which  no  storm 
can  reach  or  disturb?  Is  this  the  speculation  of 
a  fervid,  though  charitable  imagination,  or  a  mere 
bubble,  which,  though  inflated  with  the  breath  of 
love,  and  reflecting  the  beautiful  colors  of  the  bow 
of  peace,  is  still  nothing  hut  a  bubble  that  must,  of 

necessity,  burst  when  touched  by  the  linger  of  ex- 
17* 


198 


THE  AGE-QUESTION;  OB, 


periment  ?  Can  -we  allow  ourselves  .to  think  that 
these  van-ious  communities  of  professing  Chris- 
tians, though  all  professing  to  be  gathered  round 
the  Cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  be 
feeling  the  centripetal  force  of  that  all-attractive 
centre,  have  yet  so  much  of  mutual  repulsion,  that 
they  cannot  in  an}^  form,  and  to  any  extent,  co- 
here? Shall  it  be  told  to  this  world,  perhaps 
to  others  too,  that  there  is  more  in  matters  of 
Church  government  and  religious  cei'cmony,  or 
outward  sj  mbols,  to  keep  us  apart,  than  in  the 
adorable  Trinity,  the  Divine  character  of  God,  the 
covenant  of  grace,  the  scheme  of  our  Saviour's 
mediation,  the  justification  of  the  sinner  by  faith, 
the  regeneration  of  the  heart  by  the  operation  and 
baptism  of  the  Spirit,  the  adoption  of  believers 
into  the  familj^  of  God,  and  the  prospect  of  one 
heaven  of  holiness,  happiness,  and  love,  in  all  of 
which  we  are  agreed,  to  cement  us  at  any  time,  or 
for  any  purpose,  into  one  body?  Shall  this  be 
believed,  especially  when  it  is  remembered  that 
we  profess  to  be  one  in  Christ,  and  profess  to 
acknowledge  each  other,  and  oven  to  love  each 
other  secretly  ?  Shall  we  forever  continue  to  be 
ashamed  of  our  common  relationship  ?  Let  those 
believe  this  who  can  ;  wc  cannot.    We  have  more 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


199 


faith  in  humanity,  imperfectly  sanctified  as  it  is, 
and  we  have  more  faith  in  God,  "  from  whom  all 
holy  desices,  just  counsels,  and  geod  works  do 
proceed." 

"  Is  any  thing  too  hard  for  thee. 
Almighty  Lord  of  all, 
"Whose  threatening  looks  dry  up  the  sea, 
And  make  the  moantains  fall  V 

Oh,  then,  let  the  Sacramental  host  awake  and 
arise  !  Great  God  !  "  plead  thine  own  cause  I" 
Let  the  Church,  ashamed  of  her  loast  schisms, 
rush  to  the  remedy.  Then,  though  now  poor,  she 
shall  soon  be  rich  in  faith.  Then  will  the  love  of 
all  toward  each  other  abound.  A  new  era  will 
begin.  The  words — "that  the  world  may  know 
that  Thou  has  sent  me" — will  have  a  new  mission 
and  a  new  meaning.  A  voice  will  be  heard  saj-ing, 
"  The  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  will 
dwell  with  them  and  they  shall  be  His  people,  and 
God  Himself  shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their 
God." 

In  the  exercise  of  that  faith,  which  is  the  sub- 
stance of  things  hoiked  for,  and  the  evidence  of 
things  not  seen,  let  us  ascend  to  the  Jerusalem 
above,  and  participate  with  its  citizens  in  their 


200 


TEE  AGE-qUESTION ;  OR, 


services  and  bliss.  If  ■we  are  the  people  of  God, 
how  soon,  how  very  soon,  shall  this  supposition 
be  realit}' !  The  partitions  we  erect  and  uphold 
may  long  define  aud  fence  up  our  denomination ; 
but  they  shall  very  shortly  be  of  no  effect  to  our- 
selves individually.  The  highest  of  them  do  not 
reach  to  those  third  heavens,  where,  far  above  their 
altitude,  we  shall  meet  and  rejoice  with  Christians 
from  whom  they  dissevered  us.  Can  we  realize 
this  early  this  elevated  superiority  to  all  these 
shibboleths,  and  yet  hold  them  in  idolatrous  re- 
spect ?  If  we  are  Christians,  our  treasure  is 
already  in  heaven,  and  our  hearts  are  there  also. 
Can  it  be,  then,  that  this  hour  we  hold  antici- 
pating fellowship  with  a  Church  formed  out  of  all 
Churches  that  held  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus," 
and  derive  exquisite  delight  from  its  comi^rehen- 
siveness  of  membership,  and  next  hour  deify  the 
distinctions  which  we  had  just  forgotten,  and,  in 
the  absence  of  which,  we  saw  a  presage  of  glory  ? 
The  planets,  as  seen  from  our  remoteness,  are  so 
many  brilliant  orbs,  and  the  disruptive  irregulari- 
ties of  their  surfaces  are  all  lost  in  lustre.  Our 
own  earth,  as  contemplated  from  those  distant 
heavens,  would  present  the  same  appearance.  So 
let  its  schismatic  demarcations  vanish,  as  viewed 


A  PLEA  FOR  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  201 

by  us  from  heavenly  places,  and,  as  we  look  upon 
it  in  v/erifying  forethought  from  our  seats  of  glory, 
where 

"  Each  finds  in  each  a  glowing  friend, 
And  all  the  God  of  all  adore," 

let  all  differences  among  its  Christian  inhabitants 
appear  to  be  absorbed  in  one  flame  of  Christian 
charity. 


PRAYER  FOR  CHRISTIAl^"  UXION. 

Shepherd  of  Israel,  teach  thy  people  how  good 
^nd  pleasant  a  thing  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell 
together  in  unit3^  It  is  as  the  dew  that  descended 
on  the  mountains  of  Zion,  where  the  Lord  com- 
•  manded  the  blessing,  even  life  for  evermore.  May 
they  mourn  over  the  unkindness  and  strife  that  so 
often  prevail  among  those  who  bear  the  same  party 
name.  May  they  lament  over  the  sectional  feel- 
ings which  alienate  the  members  of  different  com- 
munions, and  forbid  the  universal  fellowship  of 
saints.  God  of  Peace,  let  not  Ephraim  envy 
Judah,  nor  Judah  vex  Ephraim. 


203 


THE  AGE-QUESTION ;  OR, 


O  Lord,  why  should  there  be  any  other  test  of 
brotherhood  than  that  of  union  to  Christ  ?  Why 
should  the  children  of  adoption  treat  each  other  as 
strangers  and  foreigners  ?  Wh}-  should  those  Tvho 
expect  to  be  joint-heirs  of  the  inheritance  of 
heaven,  refuse  fello"svship  with  each  other  on  earth? 
O  God  of  Love,  rebuke  every  spirit  of  dissension. 
Bj-ing  together  all  the  scattered  fragments  of  thy 
Church,  and  .bind  them  by  that  charity  which  is 
the  bond  of  perfectness.  As  there  is  but  one 
Shepherd,  so  let  there  be  but  one  fold.  As  there 
is  but  one  King,  so  let  there  be  but  one  dominion. 
Let  the  heritage  of  God  be  a  household  of  faith, 
that  shall  stand  fast  in  one  spirit,  with  one  mind, 
striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the  Gosi^el.  Lord, 
cause  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  to  bring  togethei*  all 
thy  followers  in  the  bond  of  peace,  that  they  may 
be  one,  even  as  the  Father  and  Son  are  One ! 
Amen. 


A  PLEA  FOE  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


203 


THE  NEW  COMMANDMENT. 

"A  new  commandment  I  give  unto  you,  tJiat  ye  love  one 
another,  as  I  have  loved  you." 

"As  thou  hast  loved  us,  Saviour !  must  we  love 
Each  other,  and  Thy  new  command  obey? 
Tlien  for  Tliy  love  within  us  would  we  pray, 
That  it  may  all  our  cold  affections  move. 
Thy  love,  how  vast !  since  each  returning  day 
Fresh  mercies  come,  the  purchase  of  thy  death. 
Our  sins  do  not  Thy  loving-kindness  stay  ; 
'Tis  fidl  and  free,  as  is  the  air  we  breathe : 
We  cannot  love  as  Thou  dost,  teach  us  how 
To  banish  anger,  enmity  and  strife  : 
Here  at  Thy  footstool  do  we  hiunbly  bow. 
O,  Thou  who  didst  for  sinners  give  Thy  life, 
For  those  who  hated  Thee  !  make  us  to  know 
The  greatness  of  Thy  love,  then  shall  we  love  as  Thou." 


204 


A  PLEA  FOB  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


DWELLIXG  TOGETHER  IN  T7NITY. 

"How  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell 
together  in  unity." — Ps.  cxxxiii.  1. 

Let  pai-ty  names  no  more 

The  Christian  world  o'erspread, 
Gentile  and  Jew,  and  bond  and  free, 

Ai-e  one  in  Christ  their  Head. 

Among  the  saints  on  earth 

Let  mutual  love  be  found, 
Heirs  of  the  same  inheritance, 

With  mutual  blessings  crowned. 

Tlius  will  the  Church  below 

Resemble  that  above, 
"Where  streams  of  pleasure  ever  flow, 

And  every  heart  is  love. 


